


Vampre

by Maizeysugah



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Alternate Universe - Non-Magical, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Angst, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Blood Drinking, Bottom Harry Potter, Drama & Romance, Fluff, Gay Sex, Half-Giant, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M, Romance, Slash, Smut, Top Tom Riddle, Vampire Draco, Vampire Harry Potter, Vampire Sex, Vampire Tom, Werewolves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-29
Updated: 2015-11-01
Packaged: 2018-04-23 22:51:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 21,251
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4895401
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maizeysugah/pseuds/Maizeysugah
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After witnessing an act of bravery he had never come by before, vampire Tom Riddle decides to turn Harry Potter into one of his own to join his coven at his side.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Meet Cute in a Haunted House

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mangafan000](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mangafan000/gifts).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CHanged up the photos with my new boy IOS Infernale. The other is my Migidoll Jina.

 

The deep purples and oranges painted across the canvas of sky above entranced a young boy who was very much trying to keep his mind off of the place he was being dragged to. The small town of Little Hangelton was located in the northern part of Britain. On top of the largest hill in downtown sat an old manor built into the top. It had been abandoned decades ago. The previous owners were murdered inside. It had a reputation of being haunted. Harry Potter cringed as his two best and only friends shoved him through a broken window. Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley climbed through soon after. Daring themselves to stay the night inside, they laid out their knapsacks and spread out their sleeping bags to sit on. 

The trio were the town’s pariahs, all three awkward and bookish, with Harry also being gay. That was a no-no in such a small town full of religious folk. Being picked on constantly at school, he had withdrawn into himself. He dressed in dark colours and his hair was choppy and shaggy. He wore eyeliner to draw attention to himself in other ways. Most people tended to avoid him rather than pick on him dressed this way. He had a sweet face blessed with a set of cute dimples and bright green eyes. 

None of them had been invited to Malfoy Manor to their annual Halloween party. Draco Malfoy was the town’s biggest bully. He hated Harry Potter and his friends and made sure they knew it every single day in school. He encouraged the other classmates to pick on them, too. Malfoy was wealthy, gorgeous and tall, he could have anything he wanted, given to him on a silver spoon. And that night, he and a few friends of his got wasted and decided to scale up the hill and continue their party inside Riddle House. 

The sun had finally set. Tom Riddle sat up in his coffin to stretch. He lived in the basement of Riddle House in a small hidden room. No one knew he existed in Little Hangelton. He never fed from anyone in town. He would travel far and wide, being a vampire, to drink from random victims so as to keep his identity a secret. Tonight would be different, although he did not know that yet.

Draco, and his friends Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle, along with Cormac McLaggen and Ernie Macmillan climbed through the window and staggered around the front room. Harry, Ron and Hermione gasped and stood up. “Well, well, well,” Draco said. His grey eyes lit up with glee. “Fairy Potter and the nerd twins at my mercy. Whatever shall we do with them?” he asked his friends while he rubbed his hands devilishly together. 

Harry grabbed Hermione’s hand. He worried for her safety. He tugged her with him, bolting off into the depths of the manor, up the split staircase and into a bedroom at the end of the hallway, Ron was close behind the whole way. They slammed the door and put their backs to it, as the door had no lock. 

The five other boys pounded on the door, taunting them with vicious words. 

“We’re gonna get you, Potter!” 

“I get Hermione!” 

“I’m going to kick your arse, Potter. You’re fucking dead!” 

“Weasel, we’re gonna hurt your little girlfriend!” 

Tom watched them, hidden in darkness. 

“Stop!” Harry shouted. He selflessly offered himself in exchange for Hermione and Ron’s safety. “You can do whatever you want to me if you let them go! And I won’t tell, I swear.” 

Draco considered it for a moment, then consulted his friends. “You’ve got a deal, Potty.” 

“Go down the hall, all of you except Malfoy. Let them go and I’ll let him hold me.” 

Ron and Hermione shook their heads but Harry appealed to Ron. “They’re wasted, they’ll rape her, Ron. Get her safe and send help.” 

That seemed to do the trick. Ron shielded her with his body and ran to the staircase while Draco wrapped an arm around Harry’s throat. 

Tom was stunned. The pretty boy impressed him with his bravery and fear for his friends’ safety. That quality was a rarity, indeed. He might have to break his rules and turn him, claiming that loyalty for himself. He certainly wasn’t half-bad to look at, either. 

“Come on, freak,” Draco hissed, dragging Harry down the hall to meet back up with his friends. They moved into another bedroom and threw Harry onto the rotten mattress staged in the back of the room. They held him down and tore his clothes off while Draco undressed. “You’re gonna pay for letting the good pussy get away.” 

Cormac and Ernie punched him several times in the face while Gregory choked him and Vincent joined with Draco and dropped his jeans. Harry was hysterical, half-conscious and Tom could no longer stand by and watch the boys. He attacked, biting down on Draco’s throat before he climbed onto the bed. Stunned, the four other boys attacked back but Tom easily fended them off. His strength and speed was unmatched. He dropped Draco on the bed to scare the others off. When he returned, he latched back onto Draco to drain him. 

Harry trembled with fear, watching him do whatever he was doing to his enemy. Tom looked up from his meal and smiled. He was incredibly beautiful but his mouth was dripping with blood that matched the colour or his eyes. Panicked, Harry tried to get up but Tom grabbed him and held him down while he bit into his own wrist and forced the wound onto Malfoy’s mouth. “Drink, or you’ll die.” 

Draco eagerly fed from him. “And you,” Tom said to Harry. He pulled his wrist back and forced Harry to drink from him. “It’ll heal you up. They smashed your glasses into your face.” 

Harry rubbed the wound on his forehead, the cut was deep. Tom shoved Draco on the floor and stood up with Harry. He handed him his clothing. “I’ll take you home.” 

“What about Malfoy?” 

“He can make it home himself.”

* * *

At school the next day, Harry met up with Ron and Hermione. He was confused about the night before. He couldn’t remember what had happened or how he escaped. Malfoy and his friends couldn’t remember either. The white-haired boy looked more pale than usual that day, he was exhausted and the sunlight was giving him a terrible headache. He chalked it up to it being a hangover, he did not associate his illness with the two large holes in the side of his neck. 

Unlike Malfoy, Harry felt fantastic, giddy and confident. He had no memory or even going to the haunted house the night before. Harry was gone and the house was empty by the time they got his parents up there to rescue him. Fearing the worst, they called the police but found Harry unharmed and asleep in his bed when they got home. 

That evening, he, Hermione and Ron met up at the town’s ice cream parlour. It was Friday night, they could stay out late that evening. Sitting together around a table, Hermione nudged Harry and whispered into his ear. “There’s a man staring at you.Three o’clock.” 

Harry put his head down so that his fringe fell over his eyes. Stealthily, he looked over to the spot Hermione had told him and saw the most beautiful man he had ever laid eyes on staring intently back at him. A jolt of adrenaline rushed through his veins. He looked back down and away, blushing crimson. And every time he peeped back at him, the man was still watching. 

“He’s so cute!” Hermione whispered, giggling with Harry and Ron. Harry broke down and swallowed his shyness and smiled at Tom. Hermione gasped, watching the man stand and cross the room. “Oh my God, he’s coming over!” 

Harry dug his fingernails into the palms of his hands. “Hi,” he said, giggling and leaning against Hermione in order to not fall out of his chair.

“Hi,” Tom said. “Is this seat taken?” He gestured to the empty fourth chair at the table, directly across from Harry. He was very tall, with long black hair and dark eyes 

“No, sit,” Harry said, dying to speak with him despite how shy he was. No one had ever looked at him that way before, at least no one he was willing to go out with. 

Tom greeted the others and held out a hand to Harry. “Name’s Tom. And you’re Harry.” 

Harry shook his hand. Tom did not let it go of it. “How did you know my name?” He looked down at their hands, a little shocked at the bold statement Tom was making. 

“I heard your friends say it earlier.” Tom brought Harry’s hand up to his lips. Hermione audibly squeaked when he kissed the back of it. 

Draco, Ernie and Cormac entered the parlour then, and all three immediately turbed to glare at Harry. “Great,” Harry said, knowing Draco was going to harass him and possibly drive Tom away once he saw what a loser he was. 

Tom glanced behind him. He scowled at Draco, who's expression suddenly went blank. In around a few seconds he snapped out of it. “Come on, let’s go,” he said to his friends, and sat down at a table across the room. 

“Wow, that’s completely uncharacteristic of him,” Hermione said. 

“Where were we?” Tom said, looking deeply into Harry’s eyes. 

“Oh, um, you were kissing my hand,” Harry said, flirting back with the young man. 

“Ah, yes.” He kissed it again, lingering with it against his lips for several seconds before releasing his hand. 

Harry giggled uncontrollably. No one had ever shown him this kind of attention before. “I don’t recognise you, are you new here?” 

“I just bought the house on top of the hill.” 

“The haunted manor?” All three teens blinked. “That place is a dump.” 

“For now.” He stood up from his seat. “You want some ice cream?” 

“Okay, sure, thanks. Um, vanilla, please.” 

Hermione and Ron got up as well to order something to eat. Harry looked over at Draco’s table. The white-haired boy was staring at him. Not scowling or happy, he just blankly stared back at him. Harry shivered, that was very unusual behaviour. Draco had never looked at him before with anything but hatred. 

“Here,” Tom said, startling Harry. “I’m sorry, do I scare you?” 

“No, not at all,” Harry replied. He took the cone and licked it. 

Tom watched Harry slowly run the ice cream down the length of his tongue. He could sit there and watch him do that for hours. “Tonight,” he said to himself. 

Harry cocked his head. "Hm?” 

“Nothing,” Tom said, smiling. “Let me walk you home.” 

“Sure.” Harry waved at his friends and let Tom escort him out of the parlour. “When will I see you again?” Harry dared to ask him as they approached his house. 

“Soon, Harry,” Tom said. “Very soon.”

* * *

In the dead of the night, Tom appeared at Draco’s bedroom window. As if sleep walking, Draco got up from his bed to open the window. “Invite me in,” Tom told him. 

“Come in.”

Hovering in mid air, Tom dropped down inside to take Draco into his arms. He threaded his fingers into Draco’s hair to tip his head for him. “Be a good lad and stay nice and quiet.” Tom opened his mouth. His fangs popped out into place. Yanking the boy closer he sunk them down into his throat. Draco moaned at the sensation. He slowly grew weak, eventually going limp in Tom’s embrace. Tom carried him over to his bed and draped him over the mattress. He bit into his wrist to open up a vein. “Drink,” he told Draco. 

This was the second time he and Draco had exchanged blood. One more letting and the boy would eventually die and turn, and be forced to serve the Dark Lord as his servant for eternity. 

Harry’s turning would be slightly different. He would take his time with the other boy, allowing Harry to properly adjust to their exchanges so when he did turn he would be far stronger a vampire, Tom’s equal. He would take him as a lover, his sole lover, and together they would live as immortals in his coven.

* * *

Repeating his actions at Harry’s home, Tom tapped on the window glass to wake Harry up. The boy climbed out of bed and scurried over to the window. “Tom?” he said, shocked and confused. His window was on the second floor. He threw up the window. "Howare you doing that?"

“Invite me in, Harry.” 

“Sure, come in,” Harry said, taking a step back to give Tom room to enter. He blushed, clad only in a little pair of knickers, Harry had never been alone before with another man, even fully dressed. “What are you doing here?” 

“Shh, we don’t want to wake up your parents.” Tom guided Harry back to his bed. “Lie down,” he told him and climbed on top of him, up on all fours. He leaned in and kissed him, chastely at first, just pressing their lips together to feel the warmth and softness of his skin. 

Harry gasped lightly, felling Tom’s mouth open and his tongue slide in between his lips. He had never tongue kissed anyone before. It was a new sensation, interesting and arousing. Harry felt his own hands move on their own, circling around Tom’s neck as the man dropped down on top of him. 

Tom could feel the sweet innocence purl off of Harry. He was a virgin, unsullied, the perfect specimen. He was dying to see how much it would change Harry once he had turned. Would he stay sweet natured or let this new life fall right into place and kill without mercy. Tom sat back, looking deeply into Harry’s eyes. “Did you like that?” 

Harry blushed. “Let’s put it this way: it felt great but I have nothing to compare it to.” 

“Never been kissed?” Tom was shocked. 

“Never,” Harry confessed. 

“I’m going to make you very happy. I’m going to take you away from all of this,” Tom promised. “The first time I saw you I knew you were made for me. Just for me. There’s a connection. Do you feel it?” 

“Yes,” Harry said, entranced with Tom’s eyes. They had changed. Once dark, now they seemed to glow red. He felt faint. He collapsed against the mattress as Tom held him up by the nape of his neck and gently tipped Harry’s head to the side. 

Gently, he drew his tongue up the length of Harry’s neck, tracing the artery he was about to expose. “Relax,” he told him, soothing his worry. “I’m not going to hurt you. In fact, it’ll feel quite pleasant if you allow me to do this.” He looked into Harry’s eyes. “Do you allow me?” 

“Yes,” Harry breathed. “I allow you.” He pulled back his hair, letting Tom sink his fangs into his neck. He groaned at the pain but melted into his embrace. 

Tom sheathed his fangs and began to drink, slowly draining the whole of Harry’s blood, only to soon replace it with his own. He would have all weekend to recover enough to go back to school. It’s taste was like nothing other. It drugged Tom with its purity. He would never give Harry up now. Nothing would keep them apart. He would have to force himself not to drink from him again too quickly, as badly as he wanted to already. 

Harry fainted, drained of blood. Tom fed him with his own, reviving him. “Please drink, Harry. That’s right, that’s my boy.” 

Harry gripped the young man’s wrist and drank from him, desperately so. He was drained of every drop of his blood, so close to death a sneeze would have killed him. He fed from Tom with rabid need, filling himself back up enough to survive. 

I’ve only just met you but I already fancy you,” Tom confessed. “You've bewitched me.” 

Harry looked up at him, unable to speak. If he stopped even for a moment the hunger would arrest him. So he drank until Tom stopped him, desperately craving blood to keep him alive. 

Tom kissed him one last time that night before forcing him to sleep with his mind. “You, sleep.” He tucked Harry in and left the house, to tell the others about their newfound brothers who would soon be joining them. 


	2. Awakening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tom invites the coven to join him in Riddle House once he gets it fixed up. Draco and Harry bury the hatchet and will become the last two vampires needed to complete the circle, turning Riddle's coven into a very powerful force.

The noise from the construction work taking place at Riddle House echoed through the town of Little Hangelton. Harry slept right through it. “Wake up, sleepy head.” Lily threw open the curtains shielding Harry’s bedroom window, letting bright sunlight flood into the room. 

Harry winced and pulled his covers over his head. “I’m sick, can’t go to school.” 

Lily felt his forehead. He did have a fever, but it was nothing to write home about. “Get up, take some aspirin. You’ve missed too much school already this year.” She pulled the covers off of him and hid them behind her back when he tried to grab them. “Up.” Harry tried to avoid going to school as much as possible. School was a nightmare, he was picked on daily, almost always by Draco and his gang. 

“Fine, fine…” Harry stumbled out of bed, headed straight for the bathroom. 

After using the toilet and brushing his hair and teeth, Harry made his way downstairs. He was famished, feeling quite sick. He grabbed a piece of toast on the kitchen table and took a bite of it. He coughed hard, it tasted like garbage rotting in his mouth. He spit it out, choking on bile that had filled his mouth. “What did you do to the toast?” he accused his father while he cleaned up the mess off the floor. 

“What? It’s toast,” James replied. He picked up a piece and sniffed it before he tasted it. “It’s fine.” 

“Says you.” Harry went to the crisper and got a glass of orange juice. The first sip would be his last. That, too, turned his stomach. He violently vomited on the floor. Blood. A large puddle of blood grew on the floor at Harry’s feet. He couldn’t stop. 

James gasped as he dropped his paper and ran to Harry, who had just clinched up and passed out on the floor. “Lily!” he shouted while he lifted Harry up into his arms and carried him out to the car.

* * *

Tom stood front and centre before his coven. “We’ve looked long and hard to round out our group to thirteen, and to my surprise I found the final two a few days ago. “Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter will be joining us shortly. One is terribly wicked, the other I’ve taken as a lover.” 

Luna Lovegood ran up and hugged him. “That’s lovely, Tom. I’m so happy for you.” Her dreamy gaze brought a smile to Tom’s lips. She had been pestering him for hundreds of years to find someone special. She was a werewolf and a vampire. He adored her and wanted her to remain by his side for eternity. She was a very powerful creature of the night with a heart of gold. 

Romilda Vane audibly clapped. “It’s about damn time, Tom.” Also a vampire and a witch, Ms Vane joined the coven several decades back. Strong with making potions and chanting curses, she was an adept ally with the coven. Her lover, Blaise Zabini, was a werewolf who had yet to decide whether to be turned. 

Bellatrix Lestrange was also a witch, and she and her husband, Severus Snape, were both vampires who were not turned by Tom but had freely joined his coven more than a century ago. 

Remus Lupin and Fenrir Greyback were two more werewolves in the coven, who planned to be turned soon. They were the newest members; they were wild, powerful beings with little control over their emotions. Tom loved their savage, primal nature. They were both easy enough to control with his mind, keeping them from hurting any of the others when they transformed. 

Neville Longbottom, Rubeus Hagrid, and Sirius Black were all vampires, and Hagrid was also a half-giant. They were an interesting group of creatures of the night, to say the very least. 

“I see you’ve finally started restoring Riddle House to make it a true place to meet. It’ll be grand,” Bellatrix said, smiling. “I can’t believe we’ve finally hit 13. You are a very picky man, Tom.” 

“Tell me about it. He won’t let my father join and they’ve been close friends since he was first turned.” 

Black and Longbottom rolled their eyes. Vane snickered. “We know, we know, you’ve told this story a million times.” 

“Well, how many different stories can I have? Most of us have been friends for three or four centuries!” 

“She has a point,” Blaise added. 

“The reason I’m fixing the place up is I’m hoping that you all will join me. Now that were about to become a very powerful force of nature, I’ll need you to be close to me when the others take notice.” 

“Even me, Tom?” Hagrid asked shyly. 

“Even you, Hagrid,” Tom replied. 

“Wonderful.” 

Everyone looked around, all quickly agreeing on residing with Tom in Riddle House. They had been waiting for this opportunity for a very long time, figuring their master would never come around and choose the last two people to complete the circle. 

“We agree,” Sirius Black announced, garnering a grin from his master. 

“Fabulous news.” Tom grinned and joined his coven to make future plans for their lives.

* * *

Tom took on the form of mist, slipping beneath the doors of the hospital wing Harry and Draco were housed in. They were put in the same room, both having the same mysterious symptoms. They were put in quarantine, under evaluation. Draco was very ill. Both had needed blood transfusions and had extremely low blood-pressure and low blood-sugar. They were hypoglycemic, anaemic and pale, cold to the touch. Both had to be strapped to the beds and sedated to keep them from sleep-walking. They were depressed and delusional; seeing visions and things that were not there. When they were conscious, colour radiated off of everything, the auras filled their minds. They could see sound and ghosts floating around their hospital room. Draco had developed eye-shine, which was unexplainable in any illness. 

Lily and Draco’s mother, Narcissa, were sleeping in fold out chairs beside their sons’ beds. Tom was in the dark room with them, leaning over Draco’s bed. Draco’s eyes snapped open. He moaned as he exposed his throat for his master. Tom’s mouth opened, his fangs popped. He sunk them into the pulsing artery calling him to it. 

Narcissa sat up, startled. Lily woke up across the room. Tom put his weight on his splayed fingers, telling both women to go back to sleep. Both Lily and Narcissa fainted back against their chairs so Tom could conclude his and Draco’s third and final blood exchange. Draco begged him to take him, he was moaning and twisting at the bonds around his wrists, desperate to feel Tom’s body close to him. 

“Shh,” Tom said softly. He unstrapped the boy and pulled him into his arms. Draco’s head lolled back while Tom drank from him. He panted for breath. Drained fully, Draco was barely conscious when Tom began to feed him. He traced the line of the boy’s jaw and tipped his chin up, placing his lips upon the blond’s when he was done. “I await your completing your awakening. We will welcome you with open arms when you arrive.” 

“Yes, thank you,” Draco whispered, melting against his touch, so blessed to be favoured by him. 

“Now sleep. I need to tend to Harry.” The boy closed his eyes and fell back asleep. Tom walked around the bed to lean into Harry. The beautiful black-haired boy’s huge eyes opened for him. “How are you feeling, love?” 

“Sick. Need you,” he whimpered. “Please, Tom.” Tom unstrapped Harry from the bed and took him into his arms. “What have you done to me?” 

“I know I didn’t ask, but I was so afraid you would say ‘no’ if I did.” Harry exposed his throat to Tom. He popped his fangs and sunk them into his neck. He drained him until the boy’s heart almost stopped beating. Tom pressed his wounded wrist over Harry’s mouth. “Drink. It’ll help you.” 

Harry curled his fingers around Toms arm and eagerly fed from him. 

Tom petted his hair. “Slow down, you’ll get sick.” 

Harry’s eyes flicked upwards, locking with his future lover’s. He willed himself to slow down despite the irresistible urge to drink until the craving ebbed off enough to regain control of it. It was never enough, he felt like a heroin addict going through withdrawal symptoms. “I’m dying,” he whimpered as Tom pulled his arm back and healed up the wound with his saliva. 

He caressed Harry’s face. “Not yet. You’ll start to feel better in a few days. Draco, though,” he said and looked back at the bed behind him. The blond was already growing restless as his blood-loss and Tom’s blood attacked his own red blood cells, transforming them through vampirism. It would eventually end his life sometime during the night. “Draco will pass and return when the awakening is complete.” 

“Pass? You mean he’ll die?” 

“Yes, I’m afraid it’s a necessity. He’ll stop ageing, he’ll stop breathing, his organs will stop working and he will die.” 

“Can I go stay with him? Maybe I can comfort him until he passes.” 

Tom felt his heart take a single beat. It thumped in his chest at the unbelievably selfless act of kindness Harry was willing to endure to his sworn enemy. “Will you never cease to amaze me?” He stroked his cheek and bloody tears pooled in the corners of his eyes. 

Harry reached up to wipe them away. “Don’t cry.” 

“You would really do that for Draco?” 

“Of course I would. You should wake his mother up, let her say ‘good-bye’ to him.” 

“Yes, of course you’re right.” He stared at Narcissa. “Wake up. You won’t remember me but you will remember this moment. Say ‘good-bye’ to your son.” 

The pretty mother opened her eyes and stood up. She leaned over the bed, over her son, who cupped her face and kissed her lips. “I love you, mummy. I’ll watch over you, keep you safe.” 

“I love you, too, Draco. I love you so much. You’ll be in my heart throughout eternity, my sweet boy.” 

Touched, Harry teared up himself. He climbed off the bed and snuggled up against Draco, pulling him into his arms. Narcissa thanked him and touched his sweet face before returning to the chair and falling back to sleep. 

Tom gave each boy a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you, Harry. Come back to me, Draco. I’ll be waiting for you, darling.” And then he was gone, he was mist once more, making his way unseen out of the hospital. 

Draco was in a great deal of pain. He was weak, physically fading before Harry’s eyes. “I’m sorry for everything, Harry, I really am. It was that time you rejected my friendship. I wanted to be your friend so badly, but you refused to shake my hand. I’m so sorry.” 

Harry shushed him and hugged him. “I forgive you, Draco. I understand.”

* * *

An alarm went off. Draco has gone into cardiac arrest. Nurses and doctors raced into the room. They removed Harry from the bed and began to attempt to revive the blond. Narcissa was hysterical until her good-byes flooded back into her mind. Lily ran over and hugged her while they worked, letting her cry on her shoulder. Harry cried, too, his heart swelled with sadness. He had always wanted to be friends with Draco, too, but the lad was so nasty to Ron that his pride would not allow it. He still didn’t understand what was happening to Draco or to himself. Tom feared telling him the truth, afraid he would lose him forever if he knew what was really happening to him. Harry had no idea he was in the clutches of a vampire, he and Draco soon to join him. 

The hospital staff worked very hard to revive him but his organs had failed and eventually they realised he was past being saved and recorded the time of death at three forty two a.m. 

Harry didn’t attend the funeral. He suffered greatly like Draco did before he started to recover. Tom fed him every night, waiting for him to conquer his blood attacking the boy’s blood cells and grow strong from it. Only then would he exchange blood with him the third and final time. Unlike Draco, he was allowed to fully recover. 

Once the symptoms subsided, Harry was released from the hospital. Not only was he healthy once more, he seemingly had strength and senses that rivalled any other. His senses were heightened, he could see for metres and smells scents like a dog. He could hear whispers miles away and taste the slightest of flavours floating in the air. He was also endlessly ill, always starving, never sated. He couldn’t eat or drink anything. He needed transfusion after transfusion and had to return to the hospital every day to receive one. His own blood type had rejected him. Blood tests would always show up inconclusive for blood type. He baffled doctors and scientists alike, some of them leery of his release from the hospital.

* * *

That night, Draco awoke. He opened his eyes; they were bright, luminesce, the grey almost white as he peered around the inside of the mausoleum he’d been entombed in. Dressed in a suit and tie, he broke through his cement tomb easily enough, punching at the material until it broke into dust. He stood up, looking at a world he had never seen before. Ghosts and poltergeists greeted him with respect, bowing their heads to him as he made his way to the exit. He looked at his hands, moving them around to feel the air for the first time. He was a new person, discovering his strength and power blessed to him by Tom, a very powerful vampire who had been turned himself several centuries before.

He opened the door to the mausoleum and was greeted by Tom’s personal ghoul, Peter Pettigrew. He held out a hand to the boy. “I’m here to take you home.”

* * *

Harry trembled in Tom’s arms. Besides withdrawals, he was in pain. He was hoping Tom would relieve the symptoms and give him the ends to the means. “I can’t take it anymore, I can’t live like this. It feels like I’m dying. What did you do to me?” 

“It’s time to finish this. I’m so sorry, Harry, I’m so sorry.” The darkness of the hospital room kept Harry’s emaciated form and pale skin hidden. Tom lifted him off of the bed with no effort and set him in his lap to exchange their blood one last time. He knew Harry was special, he was drawn to him like he had never been drawn to anything before. And his blood…it drugged him when nothing like that had ever done. 

Tom’s crimson eye-shine briefly startled Harry. He stared up at his handsome face, watched his fangs unconsciously extend while he stared back at Harry. Harry felt his own fangs sliding down and poking his bottom lip. He reached up with a weak hand to touch them. “What did you do to me?” 

“You’re awakening, you’re becoming what I am.” He eased Harry’s head to the side and sunk his fangs deep into his throat. 

Harry clinched up in his arms while tears drizzled down his cheeks. “Am I going to die? What are you?” 

Tom wrapped his arms around him as Harry tried to resist. He clamped a hand over his mouth, and furiously fed from him until Harry went limp in his arms. “I’m sorry, Harry, I should have told you…given you the choice. I was…am very selfish, I know, but you’ll understand once you wake up.” He caressed Harry’s cheek while he opened his wrist up with his fangs and forced Harry to drink. This would be the third and final transfer, and tonight Harry would succumb to the blood he was feeding him and he would die. 

Harry was ravenous with hunger, biting and sucking in as much blood as he could. His virgin fangs scraped and tore at Tom’s wrist, causing him pain but he allowed it, he deserved it and he knew it. Harry had become feral, his vampirism much stronger than Draco’s. He hadn’t even died yet but Tom struggled to pull his arm back from the boy’s grasp. “Enough!” 

Harry’s eyes opened, glowing bright green, and locked with Tom’s. He scrunched his face up and beat his fists on the vampire’s chest. “What the hell did you do to me?! You tell me right now!” 

Tom looked at the door to his hospital room, seeing it open. He slammed it shut with his mind and bolted it closed. A nurse pounded on it, but no one could get in or out unless he allowed it. “You’re changing into an immortal, a vampire. I’ve turned you without your permission. I’m so sorry.” 

“Immortal? And undead…” 

“Yes, that too.” 

“Does it hurt? Dying?” 

“I’m going to stay with you like you did for Draco. It won’t hurt, I won’t allow it.” He lifted Harry up and draped him across the bed. He climbed on top of him and kissed him. Their lips parted, tongue swept against the other. Harry wrapped his arms around Tom’s neck and pulled him closer. He was no longer angry, he was mostly confused. He felt himself fading. His vision darkened, he struggled to keep his arms around Tom. His head lolled back against the pillow. 

Tom’s forehead crinkled while he caressed Harry’s cheek. “Come back to me soon, Harry.” 

“I’ll try, Tom.” Harry’s eyes drifted closed. Tears of blood leaked from Tom’s eyes and onto Harry's hospital gown. An alarm sounded. Tom returned to mist form as James and Lily bolted upright in their chairs. He disappeared through the door as nurses and doctors scrambled to get it open and revive Harry. Within minutes he was gone. They clocked his death at three oh two a.m.


	3. The Dark Princes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tom Riddle brings Harry home after he awakens and teaches him how to properly feed before he takes his virginity. Another rival coven takes notice of Riddle's growing power, and two more dark princes vow to destroy him.

“Wake up, it’s time to wake up.” 

Harry groaned at the intruder. He shifted to his side and drifted off back into sleep. His chin was lifted, and again someone told him to open his eyes. He resisted; he was weak, fully drained of lifeblood. He threw a hand up to shield his face. Someone was holding a torch on him. He was trembling without control, withdrawing from sleeping for so long. He was lifted up, out of his casket. “I command you to open your eyes, Harry.” 

Harry opened them, glowing bright green in the dark. Immediately, he curled his arms around Tom’s neck, and buried his face in his chest. “It’s alright, I know you’re sick.” Tom gestured to the door leading out of the Potter family crypt with his eyes. Sirius snickered and opened the door for his master. Dressed in a crisp linen shirt, a tie and dark trousers, Harry looked somewhat out of sorts from what he normally wore. Tom would soon rectify that, get him whatever he wanted to wear just like he did for Draco. He carried the boy through the streets effortlessly, both cloaked in darkness. 

Harry was lightly whimpering in Tom’s ear. “I’ll fix you right up. We’ll be there soon.” He climbed the hill with Sirius at his side. The entered Riddle House and made their way up to the one room he’d had fully repaired as of yet. It had been set up for the werewolves until they were or decided to be turned. The rest of the coven would be sleeping during the day underground around Tom. Sirius, Luna and Neville had already moved in. They, along with Draco, gathered together at the door to greet their thirteenth and final member. “Yes, yes, come in," Tom said. Eternally youthful, they filled up the free corners of the bed. 

Harry was hungrily feeding from Tom. Luna’s fangs slid downward, watching the beautiful boy drink. A positive side-effect of vampirism is alluring beauty, and even other vampires were drawn to it, no one was immune. Living together had all of them learning to deal with a heightened sense of arousal they were suffering from. Sirius chuckled. “Still have learnt to control your libido after how many centuries?” 

“Oh!” she said, covering her mouth. Shestuck her tongue out at him. "Shut up, you, or I'll tell Harry and Draco about the time you got put in the pound while in wolf form."

Sirius stopped laughing. "Don't you dare."

Neville checked his own mouth. “I’m good.” 

Draco, on the other hand, had no control yet over his fangs. They had fully extended and were scraping his bottom lip. 

Tom pulled his arm back. “I know you’re still hungry,” he told Harry, and held him down on the bed when he tried to sit up. “I fed you enough to allow the withdraw symptoms to subside. We’re going hunting in a few minutes. I’m going to teach you how to feed.

“Do I have to kill someone?” Harry looked horrified. 

“I’m afraid that’s the only way to sate the hunger.” 

“Can’t you just feed and stop before they die?” 

Everyone was shaking their heads ‘no’. “It doesn’t work that way.” 

Harry curled up on himself. “I can’t kill anyone.” 

“I can’t keep feeding you. I can’t sustain energy this way, and you will kill, you’ll grow feral the longer you wait and you’ll slaughter many in one feeding. It would be a massacre. A violent massacre. As gruesome as it is, we are humane. Our victims don’t feel a thing.” 

Tom helped Harry stand. The boy looked around the room and greeted the other vampires. Luna hugged him. “My little brother. I’ve been waiting so long to meet you. Trust me, it was very hard to kill when I was first turned, even with me having wolf blood running through my veins. It gets easier, though, and having great empathy is a wonderful trait to have after being turned. Most vampires lose a great deal of it initially, and more fades over time. That’s probably why Tom chose you, he’s a hopeless romantic. We’ve all been chosen for one reason or another.” 

“Stop telling him all of my secrets, Luna, he’s only just woken up.” Tom took Harry by the hand. The French doors leading to a balcony blew open. “I’m interested in seeing your skill with flight.” Harry gasped. Enormous dark bat-like wings had sprouted from Tom’s shoulder blades. They extended fully and encased Harry, pulling him into Tom’s close embrace. He looked up and Tom captured his lips. Harry stretched up on his toes and circled his neck to kiss him back. 

Luna squeaked, Neville and Draco looked off into the room. Harry wasn’t yet used to having fangs. It was difficult sucking on Tom’s tongue while they were extended. “Alright, already!” Sirius bellowed. “I’m starving. Let’s eat.” 

“Fine. Turn around, Harry.” Tom slit the back of Harry’s shirt vertically directly over his shoulder blades. “Alright, think about flying. Tell your wings to grow. Harry looked around the room. Everyone else had wings. He closed his eyes and concentrated hard on flying. And then he felt it, wings broke through his flesh and grew quickly, spreading out behind him. Tom took his hand and walked him to the balcony. “Now think very hard about flying and dive off. 

“What? What if it doesn’t work?” Harry said, exasperated. 

“I’ll catch you,” Tom told him. He smiled. “Don’t worry.” 

“Tom’s an alpha vampire,” Sirius added. “His strength and speed are unmatched. He has a direct psychic link to Morgan le Fay* herself, the very first vampire, the vampire who turned him. Don’t worry, he will catch you.” 

As if he hadn’t noticed up until that point, Harry opened his eyes to the world of no sunlight. He could see everything crystal clear. He reached up and touched his face, he was not wearing glasses. Everything was crisp, vivid, he could read people’s thoughts and move things with his mind. He closed his eyes and thought hard about flying, soaring through the air and he jumped nimbly over the railing to take flight. When he opened his eyes he was flying. Tom was beside him, smiling beautifully at him. 

“I knew you could do it. Follow us, we’re not going too far.” 

It felt so strange, this world he had woken up in. Harry was flying with vampires, with Draco, the boy who tormented him for over a decade. He had forgiven him but wasn’t sure he could trust him. He’d stick close to Tom for now, very close.

* * *

“I don’t think I can do this,” Harry whispered in Luna’s ear. 

She tipped her head to her shoulder dreamily and smiled. “I’ll show you how to share someone. This way cuts down on deaths, and you’re smallish like me. We can easily share someone.” She touched his face. “You’ll do fine.” They were standing in a back alley in Southampton, around the corner from a local homeless shelter. “Tom chooses them for us when we’re with him. He can sense which ones have terminal illnesses, which ones have cirrhosis of the liver, major drug addicts and such, people who will die soon anyway. It makes it a little easier to end their lives.” 

“It’s also easier to hide their disappearances. Some homeless people move around a lot. It’s hard to keep track of them,” Neville added. 

“What do you do with their corpses?” Harry asked. He was watching Tom look over the line of men and woman sitting up against the alley wall. He knelt down in front of a very old woman, he cupped her chin and asked her to rise. As if in a daze, as if no one sitting there but she could see him, the woman stood up and walked over to Luna. Hypnotised, she just stood there staring blankly ahead. Harry looked between her and Luna, as Luna took the woman’s hand as well as Harry’s in hers and beckoned them both to follow her. 

“When we do hide them, we drop them into the sea with weights attached to them,” Luna whispered to him. “Mostly, with the homeless, we disguise their deaths to appear natural, with whatever ailment they suffered from.” 

They moved into a burned out building, out of sight from passers by. Within a minute or so Tom was with them, embracing Harry from behind. “Look at her, let her see you clearly.” Tom opened her blouse to give Harry easier access to her throat. 

Harry and Luna both gasped in horror and cowered back away from her when he revealed the cross hanging from a chain around her neck. Tom scowled, gnashing his teeth. Angrily, he ripped it off of her and threw it as far away as he could. “It’s alright now, it’s gone.” 

“It hurt,” Harry said, still trembling as his master curled around him to calm him down, “I was so frightened, Tom.” 

The woman was swaying on her feet. Luna returned and steadied her movement. She licked the side of her neck to numb the pain, a special trait that she carried as vampire bats do before they strike. She looked the woman in the eye. “You’re going to sleep now, your suffering will end. No more pain, no more sadness.” Bloody tears leaked out of the corners of her eyes. 

Harry felt himself tear up, as well. Tom inched him closer to her. “Open your mouth, sense the blood pulsing through her carotid artery on the side of her neck. Let it guide you to it.” Harry closed his eyes. The scent, the sound of blood drew him in. Carefully, he pulled her hair back and sunk his fangs into her neck. Almost instantly, the fangs receded. He latched his lips over the wounds and gently sucked blood into his mouth. Luna had also began to drink. They used their powerful senses to stay in pace with the other, to slowly drain her together as one. 

Tom bit down into Harry’s throat. He licked and sucked the wound, so bloody turned on by his actions. Harry moaned so prettily at the feeling of draining the old woman and Tom’s hands roaming all over his body. The woman’s heart was slowing. “When her heartbeat slows to near stopping, you need to dab a bit of your own blood on her bite marks to heal them up before she dies,” Tom informed him. “Typically, I bite my wrist. It hurts less and heals almost instantly.” 

Luna pulled back and nipped her own wrist. Harry wiped the blood from his neck wound and rubbed it on the marks he’d given the woman. She was still standing as if she was fully awake. As soon as the wounds healed she collapsed and died. Harry dropped his head against Tom’s chest. “Come on, let’s go home,” Tom said, comforting the boy.

* * *

When they returned home, Romilda and Blaise were moving their belongings into Riddle House. Tom introduced Harry to them. Quite the beauty herself, she nudged Tom’s arm and shook her head. “How is he even possible? He’s prettier than I am.” 

“Then you’ll understand why he and I won’t be helping you move. I want to show him his new bed downstairs. Try not to come down for until dawn.” He winked at the woman while he clasped hands with Harry. 

“Ooh, have fun, you two.” 

“How do you feel now?” Tom asked Harry as he led him through the house and down the stairs that led to the basement. 

“Alive,” Harry told him. “For the first time in my life I feel very much alive.” 

“See that?” Tom gestured to a torch bracketed to the stone wall they had stopped at. He reached up and gave it a tug, triggering a hidden door to swing open. “Once everyone is inside, no one can open the door. Even if the manor burned to the ground we are protected in here.” They stepped into the room and Tom closed the door. “I’ve lived here since the day it was built, hundreds of years ago.” 

Green eye-shine moved around the room, finding a large coffin centred in the middle, surrounded by several others circling it. Besides the carpet, there was nothing else inside. Tom began undressing Harry. “Where do I sleep?” 

Tom flicked a finger at the coffin in the centre. “With me.” Harry unbuttoned Tom’s shirt for him, but stopped short of unbuckling the belt to his trousers. He nibbled on his lip when Tom’s hands moved to unbuckle Harry’s. “Relax. You’re going to really enjoy this.” 

Blindly, Harry unbuckled Tom’s belt and unlatched the button to zip down the zipper. Tom leaned in as he peeled Harry’s shirt back and pressed their lips together. He pulled it off and pulled him into his arms. They toed off their shoes and stepped out of their slacks. Tom lifted the lid to his coffin and Harry up in his arms like a bride. He climbed into his casket, lowering them both down to lie in the ruched violet satin lining the inside. Tom reached up and closed the coffin lid over them. 

Tom took things slow for Harry, spending hours just kissing and exploring each other’s bodies. Eventually, Harry allowed Tom to slide his knickers down off of his hips and stroke the length of his cock unfettered. He scraped his fangs along the line of his neck while he pleasured the young vampire. Harry clutched onto him, sucking spots on his throat, licking, tasting his pale and cool-to-the-touch skin. Unable to control himself, Harry sank his fangs into Tom’s throat and began to suck out the blood. Tom knew it would happen. A young vampire has little control. Harry licked the wounds and closed it with his own blood. Their lips connected once more. Harry’s hand was now clamped around Tom’s hard cock, stroking it fully hard. 

Both were moaning into each other’s mouths while their tongues scraped and twined together. Harry’s fingers were tangled in Tom’s long strands of hair to keep him as close as possible. He had never experienced such pleasure, having nothing to compare it to except for masturbation. He was in ecstasy, more aroused that he had ever been. “I want us to come together and fall asleep in your arms.” 

“Yes, love, anything you want,” Tom told him, and created a psychic link between them so they could sense and enjoy the other’s pleasure, never to be broken again. Within minutes they were groaning and straining to come. Harry and Tom came together, their mouth pressed firmly against the other while their tongues moved inside. Using his knickers, Tom cleaned them both up. “Did you like it?” he asked Harry, already knowing the answer from the link he’d formed between them. 

And he knew Tom knew the answer, but he kissed him chastely anyway and cradled his neck. “I loved it. I loved, loved, loved it.” 

Tom shivered. “Oh, Harry, you make me so happy. You are a gift to me from the Morgan le Fay herself. I’m never letting you go.” 

“I hope not. I want to do that every night for eternity.” Harry peppered his cheeks with kisses, so easily adjusting to a life that included sex with someone else. Tom was so beautiful and strong and romantic. He made this new life very enticing and easy to crash into.

* * *

After interviewing the Malfoys about their son’s sudden illness and abrupt death, Albus Dumbledore and his partner and brother, Aberforth, made their way to Potter’s Cottage, intent on getting their story. Both avid vampire hunters suspected the boys had been turned. Both were missing from their resting places and the symptoms they suffered from during their illness up until death were consistent with vampirism. Losing a sister to the undead disease many decades back, the two older gentlemen vowed to end the life of her maker, Gellert Grindelwald, who was quite possibly the most evil and deadly of all the dark princes still alive today.

* * *

Gellert Grindelwald beckoned his follower to approach his throne. “I have sensed it, Tom Riddle, leader of House Riddle, has fulfilled his mistress’s wishes to finalise a coven after so many centuries. Tell me what you know about this.” House Nurmengard’s alpha vampire sat forward, intent on learning any new information on the new rival coven. Salazar Slytherin, his maker, would want this unholy union shut down before it grew in power. Anything that had to do with his once lover Morgana was taboo and unworthy. 

“Tom Riddle has taken a lover. A young boy named Harry Potter, who is a direct descendant of Godric Gryffindor. He is their thirteenth, an alpha male that completes the coven. They will grow stronger than us if we don’t stop them soon. The boy’s gifts could be immeasurable,” the informant told him. “Potter is the key. Take control of him and Tom will bend to your will. He has also taken on another, and you may find this part very interesting…another boy named Draco Malfoy, son of Lucius.” 

“Malfoy, you say? One in the same?” 

“Oh, yes, one in the same.” 

“Thank you, my loyal servant.” With a swift slash, the informant’s head separated from his body. Grindelwald sheaved his katana. Any loose ends would be tied up. Only the alpha male of House Nurmengard and his one most trusted servant would know the details and evidence of the other coven. If word got to Morgana or Gryffindor, both would step in to help the dark prince Riddle rescue his own prince. He rang a large bell hanging beside his throne. Instantly, two lesser vampires entered the throne room and removed the corpse. Psychically, Grindelwald called forth his most loyal in the coven, his long time lover, Armand Malfoy. A once confidant to King William I, he had been turned by Grindelwald shortly after the turn of the 11th century. 

“’ow may I be of zervice, my Lord?” Now standing in front of him, the stunningly beautiful man with ghastly pale skin and waist-length white-blond hair bent on one knee and kissed his lover’s hand. He was made as Harry was, an alpha, and he would take over the coven if anything  happened to Gellert. His thick French accent was music to his lover’s ears. He was the first Malfoy to journey from Normandy to England. Draco Malfoy was a direct descendant of his. 

Grindelwald flushed with passion. His golden hair flounced around his shoulders as he snagged the other vampire and pulled him into his lap. Grindelwald’s sweet-faced features rivalled that of his lover’s. “That naughty little lad Riddle has gone and fulfilled Morgana’s wishes. He closed the circle, took in his thirteenth. And you’re not going to believe the surname of one of his new followers is…” 

“Riddle…” A jealousy of the man formed long ago, the name sat like poison in his stomach. Grindelwald’s unrequited love for the black haired dark angel would always be there, burned into his psyche the moment he was turned by Slytherin. “Zo what’s zhis zurname you zpeak of? Who did ‘e turn?” 

“A Malfoy. Draco Malfoy, son of Lucius, to be exact. Does that name ring a bell?” 

He hadn’t looked into his family name for hundreds of years, but that didn’t matter: a Malfoy was a Malfoy. Tom Riddle damn well knew his surname and most likely chose to turn his descendant on purpose. He clenched up in Grindelwald’s lap. He snarled, his fangs and claws popped. “This time he’ll pay for this blasphemy!” 

“Yes,” Gellert hissed, his merry face twisted with a sinister grin. “We’ll turn Malfoy against him, have him bring us his lover. Then we’ll end his pathetic life once and for all.”

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As some of you may already know, I’m old enough to be most of your mothers. When I was a kid my sister and I went to see An Interview with a Vampire in the theater. I will always treasure this film. This was first experience and the incredible discovery that I had a thing for male/male slash. Now, there’s no true slash in the film but that didn’t matter. The moment Lestat sunk his fangs into Louis I got seriously turned on. I remembered feeling somewhat helpless and alone in that moment, unable to convey the onslaught of feeling rushing through my mind and bloodstream with anyone. My sister is five years younger than me, she just wouldn’t have understood. If you have not yet seen this film, watch it. Brad Pitt is gorgeous and Tom Cruise is amazing. I implore you see it if you haven't already. Let these GIFS draw you in.
> 
> By the way, several years ago when the first movie for The Lord of the Rings was going to be released in theaters, my husband, being a massive nerd but still very tall and super fucking sexy, asked me to read the trilogy. The relationship between Frodo and Samwise fucking cemented my adoration for gay romance forever. Again, platonic slash, but so bloody gorgeous, and so much hotter in the books than in the films. Also, I finished all three books very quickly but I couldn't get through The Hobbit. Ha!


	4. Betraying the Betrayer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Draco's disappearance, Tom must face the fact that he's made some mistakes regarding the way he turned Harry and Draco. It comes back to haunt him when Armand takes Draco as a lover, filling his head with hate for his master.

Looking in through the glass on the French doors he was standing in front of, a tall pale vampire watched his parents sitting at the dinner table eating a meal. Neither had spoken to one another, not one word between them had been said. They did not look at each other either despite sitting across from each other. The vampire was shrouded in darkness, hidden to any eye that was alive and fully human. He watched them night after night, desperate to tap on the glass and let them know he was out there…but he couldn’t. He was forbidden, as Harry was, to tell any living person who knew him in life that he was there, that he was still something akin to being alive. If they even attempted to contact anyone, Tom promised he would wipe their pasts out of their minds. He couldn’t have that, the thought of not knowing who he was anymore terrified him. 

Draco watched them sitting in silence. If he did not know them he would have thought they were strangers. Once, they were a lively couple, doting on each other and their beautiful son. They were the wealthiest family in town. Draco was once the most popular boy in school. Now, he had never felt so alone in his life. Most of the coven didn’t care much for him. He was arrogant and boastful, and had an anger and thirst that only the werewolves and maybe Bellatrix could understand. He was told he was chosen for that reason, instead of Tom outright killing him that fateful night. Most of his coven was too soft, and once you reach the number 13, the coven would grow in great power. Only Harry was kind to him out of all of the softies, as Blaise liked to call them. But Harry was kind to everyone; he was a people pleaser and would adjust his persona to appease whoever it was he was around. 

Blood pooled into the corners of his eyes. Draco wasn’t handling the massive changes in his life very well, either. He was terribly homesick and missed all of his friends. Harry was adjusting slightly better, what with having Tom fawning all over and cooing at him all of the time. Tom, the master, the man who endlessly begged Harry to forgive for changing him without fully telling him what was happening until it was too late. Tom hadn’t once apologised to Draco. Instead, he had told him once that him he deserved it, and that he should be thankful that he was chosen, because if not - he would be dead. Once the most popular, with wealth beyond measure, Draco found himself sleeping in a used coffin in a basement of a manor every night. A place, up until very recently, was as old and decrepit as the alleyways he captured and killed his prey in. 

As crimson tears leaked out of his eyes and left a dark trail of blood down his cheeks, he turned to leave, having not fed in days due to depression. Something, a blur, came down from the sky. Before he could focus on it, it swooped him up and carried him off, silencing his cries, stilling his mind, carrying him off and away before the boy could get away.

* * *

Harry smiled over at Tom, who was watching him in the thick darkness of the interior of the Forbidden Forest. The older vampire flicked his glowing eyes in the eastern direction, indicating that there was something there. Hunting with the boy was exhilarating, Harry was a natural when it came to seeking someone out, hunting them down and trapping them effectively. 

Giving him a nod, Harry returned his acknowledgement. His bright eyes shifted and focused on the man they were hunting. He was a recently escaped criminal from Azkaban prison, a very violent and murderous individual. Nicknamed Merwyn the Malicious, his time was rapidly running out. This was Harry’s favourite thing to slaughter; violent individuals who did not deserve to be walking around in the outside world. He could smell fresh blood purling off of his clothing. The man was sitting on the ground going through a woman’s purse in the distance. 

Tom gave the boy the signal and watched him run with a speed no other could match. Within a second or two, Harry had the man pinned to the ground on his back. Although grizzly-faced and extremely muscular, he was no match for the seemingly delicate boy holding him down. “This woman you robbed will be the last person that will fall victim to you, you disgusting monster,” Harry said while his fangs slid down into his mouth and set in place. 

Tom came up on the other side of their prey. Both he and Harry shared a look before sinking their fangs into the man’s carotid arteries. Merwyn groaned out, unable to move or scream, he lie there still until he was emptied of blood. The moment before he died they erased the wounds they made to his neck. Harry looked up, his glowing eyes locked with Tom’s. His fangs had extended once more, and he hissed at him, daring him to conquer him, to capture him and take control. 

Feeling carnal, Tom laughed wickedly. He was unscrupulous; the wanton attention Harry was giving him demanded him to act. His fangs slid down into place. He grabbed Harry, dragging him over the corpse and threw him on the grass. Harry arched up, tipping his head back while Tom ripped his clothing off. The elder vampire tore his own shirt open while Harry unbuckled his trousers for him. Both fully undressed, Tom dropped down on top of Harry and kissed him. It always started out rough and wild when they fucked after feeding. The animalistic nature after a hunt was difficult to control or subdue. It was like a drug running through their bloodstreams, driving them mad with desire.

They bit into each other’s necks and drank from one another while Tom held Harry down on the grass and took him. Their lips met once more, smearing each other's blood on their cheeks. Harry mewed while Tom fucked him hard and stroked the boy’s pretty cock for him. The boy’s endlessly long legs were wrapped around his lover’s midsection. Tom hovered over him, nipping and taking the boy’s bottom lip between his teeth.

“I love this,” Harry breathed. The lush splendour began to slow to a rhythm both eased into. Harry felt himself lifted off of the ground, and found himself pressed up against the trunk of a nearby tree. They stayed that way, kissing and slowly rocking together as one.

The warmth in Harry’s pelvis steadily grew in depth and persistence. He curled into Tom, clamping his own hand down over the hand bringing him to orgasm. The throbbing jolts of pleasure washed over him soon after. He tensed up fully in Tom’s arms, then collapsed boneless while his lover greedily worked himself up into a frenzy once more and climaxed inside Harry as his own euphoria soared through his veins. 

As if a corpse wasn’t lying there, Tom and Harry fell back into the grass, kissing. “That was fantastic,” Harry said, while he petted Tom’s hair, both looking into each other’s eyes. 

“You’re fantastic. Quite the hunter now.” Tom pulled his trousers up and gave Harry his shirt to wear. "Here, put this on."

All the boy had left intact was his knickers. They had a few hours before sunrise left, but despite having fed to completion, Harry suddenly felt drained. He nudged Tom while the man covered the corpse in leaves and twigs. “No one will find him for weeks. Let’s go home, I’m knackered.” 

Tom shrugged, looking down at their victim. “You’re right. Let’s go.”

* * *

Bellatrix worked up the courage to tell Tom that Draco had not yet returned. The sun would be rising very soon. Tom and Harry went to bed an hour back, they had no idea one of their own was still out there. “My Lord,” she said, tapping on the lid of his coffin. “Malfoy hasn’t returned yet, and he’s usually never late. I’m growing concerned.” 

Tom lifted the lid, shielding his lover from the over head light so he would remain sleeping. “He hasn’t?” Now concerned himself, perhaps his strong stance toward the boy had frightened him enough to run off. He probed his mind, looking for clues to the boy’s whereabouts. Not having a direct link to him, he had no idea where Draco may have run off to. “Did he say anything earlier? Was he acting unusual?” 

She averted his gaze. She had thought Tom was very hard on the teen and may have possibly ran him off - or worse, there was a threat outside, they were being hunted, too. “No, not that I can remember. But, I’ve heard rumours about vampire hunters enquiring about the boy's deaths back in town, my Lord. I hope it has nothing to do with that.” 

“He’s not dead, I would know that in a heartbeat,” Tom informed her. “He may be resentful. It hasn’t been yet a year from his turning. You remember how angry you were when you were turned against your will. It took you nearly a decade to recover before you sought me out.” 

“The one who turned me wasn’t anything like you, my Lord. I left him and sought you out because you were and are an amazing leader, I knew working with you would keep me and Severus alive. I’m no fool.” 

Tom hadn’t thought of that before. He had forced Draco to accept what he was without question. Perhaps Malfoy fled his ranks. “Ask Remus and Peter to go out there today and sniff around the surrounding towns. I’ll have Fenrir and Blaise look for those vampire hunters in Little Hangelton. We’ll go out to look for him tonight, all of us.” 

Bellatrix bowed her head. “Yes, my Lord. Thank you.”

* * *

Draco resisted Armand’s initial advances. He sat firm with his loyalty firmly on the side of Tom, because the man standing over him at that moment frightened the hell out of him.

“Let me put it zhis way,” Armand said, persuasive to the end. “Zhe man betrayed my master and ‘is coven, fleeing it, breaking zhe circle at zhe worst possible time. Gellert lost everything. Two of zhe circle were murdered shortly after, made vulnerable by Tom’s actions alone!” The man shook the boy by the shoulders. “And I am your forefather, I built Malfoy Manor! It’s because of me you grew up ‘appy and wealthy.” 

Draco cowered beneath him. His wrists were cuffed with silver handcuffs to the chair he was sitting in, there was no escape. Vampires were susceptible to the oddly unique metal.

The statuesque man shouting at him popped his fangs while he dragged a sharpened fingernail up the line of Draco’s neck. “You owe me, boy. Get me ‘arry Potter.” Armand knelt down in front of Draco. He could suddenly see that he had frightened him. That wasn’t his plan. He relaxed, easing his muscles, letting Draco see that he was not in any danger. The boy seemed to respond to his body language, he, himself, relaxed in his chair. “I’m sorry, Draco. Let me make you ‘appy again. Join us, you’ll be treated like a king, not a minion. I will give you powers Tom never will.” He bit into his own wrist and held it up to Draco’s mouth. “Drink. I know you ‘aven’t fed in a while, I can see zhe signs on your face.” 

Draco’s eyes drifted closed as he opened his mouth and suctioned his lips over the opened wound. Armand watched the beautiful boy feed. It was erotic, a hypnotising perversion. He felt himself stiffen. He leaned his head in closer and flicked his tongue on Draco’s earlobe. Startled, Draco looked up at the man. Armand pulled his arm back and kissed him. The sun would rise soon. The vampire removed the handcuffs and lead the boy down to the basement. He climbed into his coffin and coaxed the boy to join him. "Come with me. Let me show you how good it will be if you stay on with me."

After a moment’s hesitation, Draco climbed into the coffin to join the beautiful man. Armand embraced him and kissed him as he closed the lid down over them.

* * *

Fenrir and Blaise stepped inside the local coffee shop. They were looking for two specific people who had been snooping around Little Hangelton, and heard that they visited the place at least three times a day. In the back of the room they spotted them; two elderly men with long hair and beards occupying a booth, sitting across from one another while they ate and drank coffee. They moved toward them, taking the seats next to both men. Bluntly, and without an introduction, Fenrir spoke. “We know why you’re here. We have some questions to ask you and if you cooperate we’ll give you the information about Grindelwald you need.” 

“Ghouls? You two don’t look like ghouls,” Albus said, looking them over. He noted that both men had scars littered over their skin. But they definitely did not have the look of being a half-vampire, creatures with great power but who could walk in the sunlight and take care of things for their masters during the day.

“Not ghouls,” Blaise told him, giving him no other explanation as to why they knew so much about the vampire they were hunting. 

Aberforth shared a look with his brother. They silently gave the other a nod and turned to the men sitting beside them. “What is it you’d like to know?” 

“We’re looking for someone, he’s missing. He’s one of our kind, he’s been turned recently. Not yet a year. He went missing last night. Names Draco.” 

“Malfoy,” Aberforth breathed. “Is he part of Grindelwald’s coven?” 

Fenrir shook his head. “No, and that’s all you need to know.” 

“And the other boy who went missing, Harry Potter. Has he also been turned?” 

“You answer our questions first,” Blaise informed him. “Have you seen him, or have you heard anything about him recently?” 

Albus cleared his throat. “No, not one word, but,” he said, holding up a finger to create a dramatic pause. “Out remote sensors picked up the distinct signatures of two vampires in the east side of town last night. We pinpointed it down to the street that Malfoy Manor stands on.” 

“Two?” None of their coven hunted inside Little Hangelton, and the werewolves were told that no one went with Draco to hunt. “Curious.” 

“One stood motionless there for hours. The other swooped in and carried him off. That’s all we know. Now, the information about Grindelwald?” Albus looked at Fenrir over his half-moon spectacles and smiled. 

Fenrir swiped his tongue over his canine. “What would you like to know?” 

“His location. Where he houses his vampires. And if he wasn't the vampire who turned Draco Malfoy, I’m suspecting he didn’t turn Harry, either, if he is also a vampire. Is he? And who is this other vampire that turned them?” 

“Nurmengard. It’s exact location is not know, but it’s most likely located in Germany or Bulgaria. If we were to tell you that Harry is also a vampire would you hunt him?” 

“If he is with Grindelwald, yes, but I’m guessing he isn’t or you wouldn’t have asked.” 

Fenrir snorted. This Dumbledore bloke was clever. He hadn’t missed a beat yet. “You are correct. Look, we share a common enemy. The man is a monster. My master would do anything to rid the world of him but he’s very powerful. Despite how intelligent you are, the two of you could never take on his coven alone.” 

Albus blinked. “Your master, you say? Are you two a part of another coven?” 

Blaise gave him a nod. “Yes, but we’re nothing like them. Nothing.” 

“I see. Perhaps we can work together then. We’ll investigate this disappearance with you. Maybe we can find a way to get inside Nurmengard together.” Albus held out a hand. 

Fenrir took it. “You’ve got yourself a deal.”

* * *

Tom paced the floor. His head was down, his hands were behind his back. Being informed that two vampires were in Little Hangelton the night before, but none of the coven had been there, disturbed the man greatly. The name Grindelwald kept coming up, over and over again. It wasn’t adding up for him. Perhaps one of the other Lord's  coven took him…Armand. Armand Malfoy would certainly object to Tom's turning of his ancestor. He hadn’t put the two together until then. “Of course, Draco is a direct descendant of Armand’s. He’s taken him.” 

Severus sneered. “That’s not good. You don’t think they’ll kill him, do you?” 

“If Grindelwald has his way. Perhaps Armand won’t allow it, he is a relative after all.” Tom took a seat beside Snape, who was resting on an antique settee. Riddle House had been restored to its former splendour. It held a classic touch of the history to it, filled with furniture and antiques that each member of the coven brought with them from their pasts, when they were young and alive. 

Harry sauntered into the sitting room, looking so fragile and delicate. Snape stood up, taking his leave. “Bella and I will move out and cover Germany. We’ll take Luna and Neville with us. We know some dark creatures who reside out there. Maybe they’ve seen something.” 

“Thank you, Severus.” Tom stood up, taking Harry by the hand. The boy was very concerned about his friend, the once bully who now clung to him like a second skin. “Romilda can come with us. We’re going to scope out a few places in Bulgaria where Nurmengard is rumoured to be located.” 

“Okay.” Harry dropped his head on Tom’s chest. “Why didn’t you link with him?” 

Tom lowered his head. “I know I’ve made mistakes. Forgive me, Harry. I promise you we’ll find him.” 

“Yeah, we should go.” With such a soft and caring heart, Harry took the disappearance very hard. Tom could sense his worry and dread through the link they shared. Harry was right; not having a direct link to each of his followers was a mistake. None were nearly as powerful as his enemy and his lover. All of them would be vulnerable to them. 

* * *

Armand opened the lid to his coffin. “Morning, love.” 

Draco sat up beside him. He was naked, looking flush with sex and lust. His light grey eyes flicked to Armand and he smiled. Having come to terms with Tom’s betrayal, finally letting his new lover’s words sink in, Draco had turned against his master. There was word that the man and his lover, Harry, were searching for him nearby every night over the last few weeks. Tonight would be no different but everything was about to change. And only with the promise from both Armand and Gellert not to hurt his only real friend, Draco would help them kidnap the powerful young vampire.

* * *

Harry and Romilda were in the village of Elenite, questioning the town’s residents and tourists on the whereabouts of Nurmengard prison and if any of them had seen a white-haired boy anywhere over the last few weeks. The crowd gathered around the village’s famed Transylvania-like Royal Castle separated Harry from his companion. Harry was growing tired of asking the same questions over and over every night but he would never give up looking for his friend. And like magic, Harry found himself being dragged through the crowd. “Draco!” he shouted with elation as the white-haired boy pulled him into his arms and hugged him. “I can’t believe it’s really you, where have you been all this time?” He looked around for Romilda but Draco pulled him along once more. 

“I have so much to tell you, Har, you would not believe the shit I have been through. Come over here, around the corner with me.” They moved around to the side of the castle while Draco told him about Grindelwald and Nurmengard and his exciting new lover and ancestor, Armand. Harry grew intrigued. He was relieved to see Draco looking safe and sound, so blindly, innocently he follow the boy to the back of the castle, a place where no tourists or villagers went to. 

Draco dragged Harry to a dark shaded area and stopped, pushing the boy back up against the stone wall. “Okay, here we are. Hey, Har,” he said, suddenly looking a lot less jovial. “I’m, really sorry about this. I hope you’ll forgive me some day.” 

“What?” Harry tipped his head to the side, confused. “What are you talking about?” 

At that instant, Grindelwald and Armand were standing on either side of the boy. Each took one of Harry’s arms while Draco cupped his hand over his mouth to muffle any screaming. He looked over to Armand. “Okay, you’ve got him. Can we go now?”

Harry balked. His power and strength made it difficult to control, but the two ancient vampires were able to quickly contain his attempts at escape. “ They snapped a silver pair of handcuffs around his wrists behind his back. "Be sure your master can feel your fear, boy. Open that connection, let him see me,” Gellert told Harry, reminding him of the link that he and Tom shared. “Let him know what we’re going to do to you. It’s going to be very nasty. He's going to be so upset when he learns that I have you.”

* * *

Sitting in the map room of the countries capital, having charmed his way inside to gain access to maps and blueprints to all of the large and unnamed buildings throughout the land, Tom gasped, his head shot up as he sensed Harry’s sudden panic and heart-wrenching terror soaring through his body. He could now see through his eyes, eyeing Draco, Gellert and Armand subduing Harry while they threatened him and eventually forced him to go with them. They were careful to show him where they were abducting him and what direction they were flying in so that he would know how to get to Nurmengard prison to rescue him. It was certainly a trap but Tom didn’t care. He would take no chances with Harry’s life. He would get him back, no matter what.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooh, I finally broke down and bought my first BJD yesterday. He's so fricken beautiful! He'll be here in about a month, Yay!!


	5. The Traitor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry struggles to survive in Grindelwald's castle, refusing Tom access to his pin-pointed location. But he is close to finding Harry, they can sense the other's presence in the country of Germany. But when Harry finds out Tom was sent a traitor to infiltrate and sabotage the coven, he is forced to give Tom the location, knowing once he got there he'd be killed.

In the small circular room at the top of the east tower, a tall, pale vampire found himself standing over the residence’s prisoner. Draco hid all concern from him. He was told to aid in lowering Harry’s defences so that he would break and give in and present Tom with their location. Harry hadn’t fed since his arrival and his physical appearance showed it. He wouldn’t even look at him, he was still heartbroken over being betrayed by him after putting so much trust into him. Draco wanted to tell him how sorry he felt. He grew warier of Grindelwald every day. It appeared to be true what Tom had said about his maker; the man was a monster. Why Armand could worship such a creature was beyond reasoning.

At first, Draco played it cool. His demeanour toward Harry resembled his living self. He was cruel, sometimes frightening even, whenever he entered the room Harry was being held hostage in. “I told you to eat,” he hissed, forcing the random villager he had kidnapped onto his knees so Harry could feed from him. Harry refused. He would die before he did anything these fools wanted him to. He had blocked out Tom’s access to his thoughts and the ability to use of the boy’s eyes, because Harry knew if the coven showed up and tried to rescue him they would kill him.

It had been weeks of torture trying to keep the vampire out of his head while staving off Draco, Armand and Gellert’s futile attempts to get him to open up the link between Tom and he. He had been threatened with death countless numbers of times. They bled him out and forced him to drink their blood to break him, and kept him prisoner in the room with chains made of silver that burned his flesh, keeping him in a constant state of gnawing pain. Having not properly fed since his arrival, Harry’s time was running short. He could sense his lover’s presence somewhere close to the hidden castle. Tom was definitely getting closer to finding them.

Draco forced Harry down, as he had with the villager, and pushed him up against the terrified elderly man. “Your not even going to hypnotise him? He knows exactly what’s happening to him, Draco.” Feeling pure empathy, Harry tried to calm the man’s nerves before they caused him to go into cardiac arrest. “It’s okay. Relax-”

“No.” Draco clamped a hand over Harry’s mouth before he could successfully dizzy the villager’s senses. In a fit of anger, Draco bared his fangs at the villager, scaring the ever-living daylights out of him while Harry helplessly watched. “He’s a piss-drunk old wife-beater. He deserves everything we do to him. He doesn’t speak any English, either, so talking him into believing everything is gonna be alright will take too long. Look at you…” Draco released Harry and knelt down in front of him, shoving the old man away. He could not hold in his true feelings for the other boy any longer. He took Harry’s dainty hand in his own and tipped his head, letting the anguish he felt show through his features. “You’re dying. And I know you know this. Stop being stubborn. Please, harry, eat.”

The light that had died in the boy’s eyes suddenly ignited. “I’m a vampire, I can’t die that way,” Harry said through a smirk. It filled his heart with such happiness to see Draco’s true self come through once more.

Draco’s heart also swelled. Harry was so bloody forgiving and kind, giving him yet another chance to redeem himself without even apologising to him yet. “You know what I mean. You’ll lapse into a coma soon. You’ll lose a great deal of power if that happens.” Having been given great gifts of power himself, having been granted the use to feed on Grindelwald and Armand, Draco knew that Harry’s gifts were cherished. He could not stand by a minute longer and watch the boy wither away before his eyes. Harry was so pale and gaunt, and he had lost all control over his fangs again. They cut into his bottom lip constantly, merely adding to the pain he was suffering from by starving. The silver shackles around his wrists that kept him chained to the wall had little give, there was barely enough length of chain provided to lie down and sleep on the small bed adorning the prison-like room. “Please, Harry, I’m begging you to feed. I’m sorry I tricked you. I’m so sorry.”

Harry shook his head. “They’re going to murder Tom. I can’t let that happen.”

“He’ll never stop looking for you, you know. And he’s weak. I broke the circle the way he did when he did it to Gellert a very long time ago. He’ll be forced to choose another thirteenth, someone strong enough to help him find you, someone he won’t know or can trust.” He watched Harry’s eyes widen as he slowly realised that even without knowing where Harry was being held, Tom was still walking into a trap. His new thirteenth would be a double-agent; the betrayer would lure Tom to the castle himself and sabotage everything.

“You can’t do this…” Harry crumbled. His head dropped to his chest and much-needed blood leaked from his eyes.

Draco tipped his head back up and gave him a weak smile. “When he’s gone you’ll become the alpha, Harry. We can work together, join forces and rule the world.”

“You’re insane,” Harry replied as he jerked his chin out of Draco’s grasp. “I would never join you if you let Tom fall prey to whatever horrible thing you’ve planned for him. You might as well just kill me because if I get free I will hunt you all down and kill you if anything happens to him.”

Draco hardened once more. Although Harry was a bleeding-heart forgiver of sins, he was also fiercely loyal to that bastard who turned him against his will. “Then I suppose we’ll have to kill you, too.” He glowered back at Harry as he got up and took hold of the elder villager, roughly tipping the man’s head to the side. His eyes remained locked with the prisoners as he bit down into the man’s neck and bled him completely dry while he struggled and screamed. He dropped the corpse on the floor and left the room, leaving Harry to deal with the consequences of keeping their whereabouts a secret.

Harry weighed his options as he stared down at the body left to rot in his room. Other than the bed and a table the room was empty, cold and silent. He had to warn Tom, he had to open the link before he accepted the new thirteenth into the coven, putting his family at great risk.

* * *

Tom’s eyes closed. He held up a finger to silence Bellatrix while he focused on Harry’s voice lingering now in his mind. “I know where he is.” The immediate link between them beckoned him to reach Harry, despite the boy’s desperate attempt to shield his aura, pinpointing his location to Tom without his desire. Tom’s eyes flicked across the room and stopped at the man chosen in haste to become the coven’s new thirteenth.

Cassius Warrington was a beautiful and very powerful vampire, an ancient being who studied witchcraft as Bellatrix and Romilda had. Both knew him casually, but vouched for his strength of character and veracity. At that moment, he and Romilda were drawing runes onto the large cauldron they had set up in the basement of the home in Germany they were inhabiting while they searched for Harry. It was nearing dawn.

“What’s the matter, Tom?” Bellatrix touched the man’s arm. “Has be contacted you?”

Without drawing attention to himself, Tom took her hand and led her out of the basement, not knowing now what Warrington’s true gifts were, fearing his his hearing might be a lot better than he imagined. Tom didn’t want Cassius to know that he knew he was a traitor, not yet, at least. “Your friend,” he whispered to her, once they had reached the landing. “He’s been sent here by Grindelwald to infiltrate our coven so that once we find the castle he’ll break the circle and we’ll all perish inside.”

Bellatrix’s hand flew up to her mouth at the stunning information.

Tom gave her a nod of confirmation. “He was probably going to lead us right to it without actually pointing it out, make it look like he stumbled upon it and we would all blindly infiltrate it.”

Bellatrix hissed as her fangs slid down into place. She and Tom turned back toward the basement door and made their way down the stairs. The witch, who was mystically linked very closely with her husband, let him know what was going down. They had been betrayed, and the situation would be dealt with before dawn reached them.

Romilda gasped, reading into her master’s powerful aura as he approached them. She bowed her head, backed away and began chanting as he and Bellatrix confronted the new thirteenth. As if nothing was wrong, the blond-haired god-like creature flashed a charming smile at his master. “What’s up, Tom?”

Tom grazed the back of his hand along the other man’s cheek while he sardonically pouted at him. “This could have been something special, Cassius, but I’m afraid to tell you that I know who you are…I know what you’re up to.”

Romilda’s chanting grew in strength and speed. She locked eyes with Bellatrix, who gave her sister a nod before coming up behind the traitor. A wicked smile curled the corners of the vicious witch’s lips as she draped herself around Cassius’s shoulders and dropped her head on his shoulder. “Ah, I can sense your desperate attempt to contact your true master through your link to him.” She leaned in over his shoulder so that he could see her face. She flicked her eyes to the other witch in their coven. “Unfortunately, for you at least, that communication has been blocked. Romilda is very good at keeping things close and quiet, that includes telepathy.”

Cassius panicked, his hands flew up to strike, but Tom’s speed and strength blocked any movement as he greatly overpowered him. Now it was Bellatrix’s turn to begin chanting. She gathered materials needed in their stores while Tom secured the spy to a chair with silver chains.

* * *

“Oh, look at you, dear thing. Tom knows where you are.” Grindelwald cupped Harry’s pretty face in his hands. He pinioned the boy’s head to and fro, inspecting his current wellbeing. “He’s coming, isn’t he? Your sweet little cheeks are pink again.” The man with the golden ringlets stood back to savour the moment, imaging again what Tom’s delectable blood tasted like, as he had forgotten. “It’s been centuries that I have waited so patiently for this very moment. I’ll bet his blood tastes like syrup; sticky-sweet and clotted like thick cream, the bloody ponce.”

“I got him to feed at dusk,” Draco told them.

Harry also found himself bound by silver to a chair in the man’s throne room. He looked into the eyes of the devil himself, watching the man with the cherub-like face smile at him. A man who cared not for what he once was - human, decent, someone with a slight conscience - now he killed indiscriminately and with pleasure as a serial killer might. He was evil incarnate, the face of pure and absolute darkness, he was the complete opposite of Tom and all that Tom had taught Harry about living through eternity as a vampire.

“I hope he murders you. I hope he parts your head from your body so that you’ll never-” Harry hissed, and was quickly shut up.

Armand yanked Harry’s head back and bared his teeth. “How dare you judge my master when yours got so many killed from sheer indifference.” He was passionate, a true Malfoy in every sense of the meaning. “Grindelwald is the past, the present and the future, not some bleeding-heart pseudo-vampire with a heart-of-gold-complex who passes his love for forgiveness onto his followers.

“Relax, Armand, he’s a delicate boy, very sensitive…a true romantic,” Gellert said as he stroked Harry’s face with the back of his hand. He leaned over the boy, resting his hands over Harry’s bound arms. Their noses nearly touched as Gellert assured the boy that things could change if Harry agreed to cooperate. “We won’t kill Tom if you truly don’t want us to. He’ll be punished, of course, but we won’t kill him. Would that make things smoother for you, my pretty little prince?”

Reluctantly, Harry gave the man a terse nod, informing him that keeping Tom alive was his ultimate goal.

Armand curled around their captive and whispered into his ear. “His life will be spared if he comes forth to claim you in proper fashion, through the gates.”

“Okay,” Harry murmured as he informed Tom of their deal. When he was finished he looked up at Gellert. “I told him.”

He pinched the boy’s cheeks. “There, how hard was that, hmm? You see?” Gellert said to his lover as he unbound the boy from the chair and restrained him while they rebound him and escorted him back to the tower. “The boy can be reasoned with long enough to get what we want out of him. Now that we know Tom is on his way he’ll be extremely vulnerable, we’ll need to sever the link between he and Harry here.” Before Harry could react to his words, Armand gripped the boy on his shoulders and breathed hot mist into Harry’s face.

Harry sighed so prettily as he lost consciousness and fainted in Armand’s embrace. He carried him the remainder of the way back to the tower they were keeping the young prince captive. One of his many gifts given to him by his master, Armand could somewhat control other vampires for a short period of time, as he had with Draco when he turned him against his own coven in order to break the circle.

* * *

Luna held her excitement internally. Her father was finally deemed good enough to join the coven. Xenophilius Lovegood was a good friend of Tom’s and a trusted ally. His power was not significant, nor was his personality, but Tom suddenly realised that neither was needed to finalise a coven. What he needed was someone he could trust with his life.

Tom kissed each of Xenophilius’s cheeks as he made him his own. Like his daughter, the man had known Tom for centuries. He was nothing special, he wasn’t even a witch or a were-person, but his talents lied in personality and inquisitiveness. “I don’t know why I’ve waited this long, old friend. Power comes in many forms, and I’ve been ignorant of this up until now.”

Cassius Warrington stood stiffly at Tom’s side. Luna could not help herself but feel dread in his presence. Her inner wolf wanted to tear him apart. Death was not taken lightly in the inner circle of the coven. The whole of the coven were all turned, all had agreed to it to keep themselves in in close communication. She shivered when Warrington looked her way. It was also noted that Bellatrix and Romilda were notably absent. “Where are the witches, Tom?”

A smirk formed slowly on Tom’s handsome visage. He looked to his side, addressing the girl while he patted Warrington on the shoulder. “They’re both indisposed for now. I need them to do something special for me. They won’t be joining us.”

“What?” Blaise spoke up, parting the small crowd surrounding their leader to get answers. “We’re hitting up a castle in the middle of the night and we have no idea what’s inside and we’re leaving two of us behind? That’s suicide! We don’t even know how many vampires we’re going up against! You haven’t had contact from Harry since he gave you the location. Surely this is a trap. Even Peter here could tell you that.” Base shrugged at Peter. “No offence.”

Luna patted Peter’s shoulder to comfort him while she gave Blaise a sneer.

Again, Tom gave off an arrogant snort through his smirk as he attempted to lessen Blaise’s tension. “Of course it’s a trap. I have a plan set in place, though. I’m afraid I cannot reveal too much detail to any of you yet; Grindelwald and Armand’s mind-reading ability is very strong. I’m going to need all of you to clear your minds when we encounter them, give them nothing to use against us.”

The coven nodded their heads in understanding. Tom’s confidence eased their minds. He was brilliant, never one for dramatics, he planned everything to favour he and his clan. If he had little worry about successfully rescuing Harry, then so be it.


	6. And Justice for All

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tom's overconfidence may very well doom himself and his allies, or is it the fearless Grindelwald, who claims to be most powerful, the one who cannot see what is right in front of him?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made a big error that I hadn't caught until I began editing this tale. I wrote Cassius in as Draco's friend, and then chose him to the the traitor vampire sent by Grindelwald to break their coven apart. Bad me! I have replaced Draco's Cassius with Ernie Macmillan because I like writing about Cassius being naughty.

Tom stepped out from the shadows and greeted the two vampire hunters and their two new assistants as they entered Riddle House. Ron and Hermione marvelled at the place. From town, the old mansion still looked decrepit and frightening. The only difference to the townsfolk from the outside was the large electric fence that had been raised around it. The inside, however, had been transformed into a cozy, inviting place to reside. Nothing too fancy, nothing cold despite the inhabitants who resided within.

Although Tom did not know or trust them as a companion of his, he knew that Harry trusted the two young adults with his life and would give his life for them. That meant a great deal to Tom, he needed help with this situation and as of yet the vampire was still mostly a recluse, he kept his circle of friends small and closed. He had no one else to turn to. 

“Nice seeing you again, Tom,” Hermione said, forcing herself to say it. Having found out her best friend’s true fate, she could not help but hold caution with the vampire, knowing what he had done to Harry. Whether dead or undead - Harry was still dead. 

Ron cleared his throat and shook Tom’s extended hand after Hermione ignored him. “Nice seeing you again.” 

Albus and Aberforth greeted the vampire as their eyes scanned the room top to bottom for booby-traps. 

“You’re quite safe, I assure you. But, please, take your time looking over the room.” Tom stepped back to let them do their thing in order to make them feel more comfortable. He watched Hermione shift her weight around uncomfortably. He had to gain her trust. “Hey,” he said, touching her shoulder. 

Hermione jumped and turned to face the vampire. 

Tom pulled his hand back. He held both of them up, palms open, to reassure her. “I know now what I did was wrong, but I want to show you something. I want you to see how Harry’s been living as one of us since I turned him.”

He lowered his hands, offering them to Ron and Hermione. Both took one and then clasped their hands together to form a small circle. He opened his mind to them, allowing both of them to search deep inside to sift through his memories of Harry and he together, of life in the coven, of hunting and the humanity they gave their victims before they died. 

“He’s so happy,” Hermione breathed, struck with awe. She could only remember their much younger selves smiling and laughing in the way Harry was now during his stay at Riddle House. 

“If I hadn’t stopped Draco and his gang from harming Harry, well, he was planning on killing himself. I couldn’t let someone so injured, so innocent die without knowing how it felt to be alive, even if it came with a great penalty. His sadness and empathy surrounded me, allowed me to absorb his light. He’s a beautiful person, even more so now that he can truly be himself.” 

“I see.” Hermione stepped out of the circle, breaking their contact. “I still think it’s awful that you didn’t warn him before hand, but I do understand you now. Thank you for protecting him that night. That was the scariest thing any of us have ever encountered.” 

Tom closed his eyes. “I love him, Hermione, Ron…I would do anything to get him back safe and sound. I need your help…” He turned to the Dumbledores, including them with his plea. “I need all of you to help me stop Grindelwald before he does what I think hes going to do; once he gets into Harry’s mind none of us are safe.”

* * *

The the dead centre of the Forbidden Forest, Harry cried tears of blood as he stared down the enormous crucifix hanging from the branch of a tree and positioned near his face. He had been pinioned; his wings severed, parted from his body, and he was bound to a stake, where he would remain until Gellert got his clutches on Tom. Pinpoint lines of ultraviolet light shone closely on either side of his head, forcing him not to struggle or even turn his head away lest he be painfully burned. Torches attached to surrounding trees gave off unbearable light that kept whatever brainwaves he was able to control fixed on not being injured any further. The cloth bandanna trapped snuggly between his teeth could not stop him from warning Tom, but the witch sitting in the corner chanting could. He kept his thoughts scrambled as they attempted to warn his lover, nothing discernible would get through as long as the man chanted strongly enough to stop it. Despite keeping his eyes closed, Harry  could see the symbol and light behind the lids; it’s aura radiated onto him, its strength and voracity of light consumed him. 

Viktor Krum was not proud of what he was doing in order to keep the dark prince silenced, but a job was a job, and after the untimely death of his grandfather, he and what was left of his family needed the money offered to keep this new vampire in check. “He said you’d be safe here vith me if I kept you from telling some dark vampire vere you are. I keeping safe from him, from abducting you. He said the man vos a true vampre, the most evil of your kind.” 

Harry tried to gesture to him that Tom was the opposite but the UV light burned deep into the flesh of his cheek. 

Krum cringed while he watched the young vampire writhe in pain. “You’ve been brainvoshed, you only think you vont to be his companion.” He quickly resumed his chanting. He had to remain focused and finish the job. And he would be saving this poor sap’s life in the process. “Tell them how to fully penetrate Tom’s mind and they’ll set you free.” 

Harry screwed his eyes shut and blocked out as much of the chanting he could bear. The world was reeling around him. He had gone dizzy and weak from lack of blood. 

* * *

In the distance, hiding behind a thick tree, Draco witnessed the fate of his friend. He had been lied to by his new master. He and Armand both lied to him. He could now see the error in his ways, allowing himself to run away from something that made him uncomfortable, as he always had in the past. It was time to grow up, to right the wrongs he had tortured and betrayed Harry with. Grindelwald and Armand had used him as a pawn, as they were now using Harry.

Using his gifts of enhanced senses, Draco reached out, looking for someone who could help him. Almost immediately, he sensed a presence approaching the forest. He knew this person and he knew this person could be trusted.

* * *

The blood moon beamed down upon the girl looking back upon. Despite the astronomical  odds of it coinciding with a wolf moon, or death moon as some called it, there it was. Luna shivered as she felt herself begin to change. The horrid omen shining down upon her gave her worrying thoughts of Tom’s blind arrogance and eminent death. She screamed, baring the torture of her bones breaking and skin tearing, to reform themselves back together as she fashioned into a werewolf. The chances of the two coinciding were not natural. Grindelwald was surely behind this curse, but as she changed, turned into the blighted form without her desire, the ability to think properly diminished. The moons drifted from her mind as it filled up with hatred for Grindelwald. She would tear him apart if he had laid a single finger on Harry. 

They had agreed to stop at nothing in order to rescue one of their own. The risk was high. Some might even lose their lives, but they’d all die if they didn’t get to Harry in time before they broke him and learnt everything they needed to know about the coven.

* * *

“They’re here, master!” Teddy Nott raced through Nurmengard despite having to ability to communicate with his master telepathically. He was far too excited to assist his master in dealing with his nemesis permanently. “Revenge will be ours! Tonight, Riddle will die!” 

Gellert and Armand acknowledged the young vampire as they walked hand-in-hand together into the sitting room, the place that their rival coven would soon be ushered into. Armand had Draco by the wrist, dragging him along with them. He had sensed his descendants wavering loyalty and would not let him spoil this moment. The remainder of their coven joined them, all resting on their knees at their master’s feet. Armand forced Draco down beside them. 

Gellert scanned over the group as they filed into the sitting room. He laid eyes on the new member and noted the absence of Romilda and Bellatrix. “My gods, you brought in Peter Pettigrew? Xenophilius, is that you? He’s finally opened up to you?” He turned to Tom, letting the excitement shine through his eyes. “You’ve allowed a useless sloth and a madman, this bizarre eccentric into your coven? The only right thing you’ve done is induct this gorgeous specimen of a vampire I cannot take my eyes off of…” The ancient vampire batted is lashes at Cassius, who eagerly returned the gesture. 

Tom caught their flirting in his heightened peripheral vision. He buried his apprehension, hoping Grindelwald did not pick it up. 

He did. “Tell me,” the man with the golden curls said said as a wicked grin formed on his face. “You neglected to bring your two strongest allies in a time like this? Are you still that arrogant, Tom?” Gellert watched Blaise and Severus shift around to hide their distaste for leaving the two witches behind, so the could help Tom elsewhere. 

Tom snorted in his former master’s direction. “You can try and take Warrington back to break my cirlce and weaken me, but as you can see we have more than thirteen. And besides, my witches have prevented this betrayeal from Warrington from happening,” he replied with a smirk. 

“Oh, they have, have they? Is that really so?” Grindelwald opened his mind and summoned the forever-young vampire, willing him, compelling him to return to their coven. The remainder of the man's wicked coven, all strictly vampire, bared their fangs at the rival coven; hissing, taunting them with promises of death. Grindelwald focused only on Warrington. “I can sense the pull he has on you, my beloved Cassius, but, please, ignore his weak attempt to control you by using witchcraft and return to me. Break the circle, weaken him further!” Casually, the man with the golden ringlets waved his wand over the traitor, whose eyes snapped open on command.

The deserter took his place at his master’s side.

Gellert stroked the young man’s face. “That’s my boy…my beautiful Cassius.” 

Cassius leaned into his embrace. His eyes drifted closed as a wicked smile formed on his lips. “Oh, thank you, master. I love to serve you.” 

Tom’s widened eyes flicked to Sirius. “He shouldn’t have been able to do that,” he told him through their linked minds. “Stay sharp.” 

And Gellert caught it; the look of surprise and the words Tom spoke to Sirius. He was winning. Soon, Tom and his bleeding-heart band of freaks would perish by his hand. Pure glee soared through Gellert’s veins. He squeezed Armand’s arm, unable to contain the excitement. 

Everyone now sensed the tension rise. War was upon them.

The werewolves lowered their bodies, growling at their enemies, ready to pounce. 

Hagrid was oblivious. He punched the palm of his hand several times to intimidate the ancient vampire, only to be laughed at by he and Armand in return. The half-giant slouched into submission, knowing they had not planned this rescue as well as Tom had assured the coven of their success. 

“Hmm, you have brought with you all remaining allies of your coven, yet you left the most powerful member back home? I wonder how strong your witches’ powers truly are, will their range of energy that has been stretched so thin be enough to aid you so far from home?” 

Armand drew his wand and cursed Pettigrew and Neville, rendering both unconscious. Sirius and Severus held Tom back before he did something rash. “Stay calm,” Sirius whispered to Tom telepathically. “We still have at least thirteen. Remember, Harry’s here on the grounds. 

“Not for long,” Armand said, boasting about being able to enter their minds to eavesdrop as his master could. 

Hagrid watched the vampires assault Luna, taking her violently to the ground. They moved onto Remus, repeating their violent actions. His large, questioning eyes filled with blood. “Tom?” Why would their master so carelessly walk them into such an obvious trap? 

Draco gasped as he turned around to look up at his lover. “Armand, you both promised me you wouldn’t hurt them.” 

Grindelwald scowled, watching their newest member of their clan start pleading for Harry’s and the others' lives. The idea of him abandoning their coven as he had from Tom's worried him. He always stayed at a strict thirteen, believing that any more or any less would merely weaken their power. Tom still had a total of thirteen under his wing, not including himself. They would have to off at least two vampires to bring their coven’s number down to twelve. 

The ancient vampire gave Armand a shove before gesturing to Draco. “Get him out of here. His services are no longer needed this evening.” The murderous coven of elder vampires very loyal to Grindelwald rose from the floor and advanced on the group. All of the remaining coven fought back. Grindelwald watched Armand order Draco to return to the castle. Victory was his. He grinned at Tom, knowing just what to say to him to get him to give himself up. He grabbed and crushed the crucifix keeping the boy powerless, and had his minions smash the UV lights. “Surrender peacefully and I’ll spare the boy’s life…your boy, Harry, this sweet little thing here whom I'm dying to torture and slaughter just to make you sad, Tommy. He'll live a long and peaceful life if you give yourself to me once more.” 

Tom dropped his head, unable to watch his closest allies being tackled and restrained any longer. Grindelwald, himself, moved over to stand in front of Tom. He pulled the shaking, defeated man into his embrace, soothing his worry away while Armand returned and bound his wrists behind his back with thin silver chain. “There, there, my sweet, beautiful Tom. It’ll all be over soon. I’ll make it quick, painless, for all of you…well, not for Harry. You get the honour of watching him burn at the stake in the Forbidden Forest - you all do!” He held his head on his shoulder, feeling Tom struggle to free himself. “Oh, come on, you didn’t really think I’d let any of you live, did you? I set Harry free and have to  go through this nightmare again, as I’ve suffered for centuries from being hunted by you? I think not.”

* * *

Bellatrix closed her eyes. She threw a hand up to silence the vampire hunters so she could hear Tom’s words in her mind. “He’s being held somewhere in the Forbidden Forest. I can't access a pinpoint location. Perhaps we should split up and search this ares here. I feel him-” 

“The Forbidden Forest is massive,” Hermione interjected. Albus tipped his head as he and the others listened to the bright young girl list off all of the unnatural beings of myth and folklore about the place, creatures that could actually be real and lurking inside. “We need you, Bella, you’re the only one who can protect us.” 

“She’s right, to an extent.” The Dumbledore brothers opened their trench-coats at the trio, causing all three to gasp in shock at what they were staring back at. Bellatrix smirked when Aberforth ran his fingers over the extensive amount of phials and weapons sewn into the lining. Both he and Albus gawked at the vampire. “Are you not effected by these weapons? They’re usually very effective in subduing vampires in our experience,” Albus said, curious. 

Bellatrix held out a hand and Aberforth quickly handed her a crucifix. She held it up, jiggling it beside her face. “Not all of us.” 

Alberforth handed Hermione a crucifix, a silver chain and several bottles of holy water. Albus repeated his actions with Ron. 

“This is amazing, but it’s not going to help us locate Harry on time,” Hermione said, moping. 

Something rustled behind them. All five seekers of the coven whirled around, all of them shocked at what they found.

"Maybe not, but I can take you to him."

* * *

Tom shook his head as the blinding hood he was wearing was yanked away. He, and the others, were forced to kneel around the stake Harry was tied to. Tom and he locked eyes. “It’s gonna be alright, please don’t worry, Harry. Stay strong,” he told him out loud, as he was no longer able to connect with anyone in the coven now. The chanting coming from the local boy grew louder, clouding all of their minds. The werewolves were being led around by leashes like they were dogs. Blindfolded, their scattered minds picked up Harry’s scent as they were told to do. All four began to salivate as they they all blindly turned toward the boy’s location. 

Tom began to panic, watching the feral beings paw and salivate as they were led closer to their victim. “Please, Gellert,” he said through a rush of adrenaline. “Just take me. Harry’s innocent! I’m the one you want, not him. I’m the one who betrayed you.” 

Grindelwald rested back into the throne, the same one he has his minions carry him like a king out in to the forest. He laughed with mirth, watching Riddle beg and plead to him for mercy. It was all he could have dreamed of. He had thought about this day for centuries. “Tie the wolves’ leashes to a tree, like you would to any other mongrel - and then bring Tom to me.”

* * *

Draco Malfoy felt like a great fool for letting himself be so easily seduced. Not that his former coven hadn't helped sway his loyalty from Tom and direct it toward Grindelwald, making it very simple to turn his back on them. But the tremendous guilt he felt for ruining Harry’s life soon after the first time they met, which continued on to the end of both of their lives gnawed hard at his conscious. He beckoned Bellatrix and the four humans to follow him deeper into the forest. He was going to right this wrong. They were going to rescue everyone.

* * *

Tom bowed his head. He was on his knees in front of his former master; his maker, the man he betrayed. “I was turning into you,” he said as he raised his head and looked into the eyes of evil. “I was becoming what you were…what you are…what you’ve always been - a monster. I just couldn’t live with myself knowing I had lost my humanity as you had. I had to leave, i had to break the circle.” 

“Open your mouth, child,” Gellert whispered as he stroked Tom’s face like a cat. Armand clutched and squeezed Tom’s jaw, forcing his mouth open. Tom was flipped around, his back now to Gellert, with his head trapped between his master's knees. Grindelwald’s current lover fondled and provoked Riddle into fighting back.

Harry was unbound and given to the villain, pinned down in Grindelwald’s lap. He was so close to Tom but could not reach out and touch him. Grindelwald slashed the throat of the already weakened boy, while Armand sunk his fangs into his nemesis’ throat. Both drank from the two tragic lovers, all the while the rest of the vampires sat helplessly by, watching their master and his equal slowly die in front of them. 

Losing all self control, Tom’s fangs slid down into place as he struggled to regain calm. Armand looked up to his master, who gave his lover a nod. “Take them.” 

With great strength, Armand gripped and yanked Tom’s left fang out of his mouth, tearing the flesh open, then holding him down at his maker’s feet as the blood began to flow from the wound. “You see?” Armand stood up, holding his prize, the tooth over his head for Tom’s followers to witness. He pressed the heel of his boot down on Tom’s sternum to hold him in place while he boasted his victory. "Your leader in toothless, literally and figuratively now."

When he was satisfied that he and Gellert had effectively terrorised their enemies Armand turned back to Tom, preparing to remove the other fang. “Did you honestly think I would not take offence to you making a descendant of mine your puppet, you little bitch?” 

Pale and weakened to near unconsciousness, Tom managed to pull off a convincing snort. “Is that what this is about? If the thought of me taking one of your own fuels your hatred for me, then believe it to be true, but the reason I awakened him is far from that,” he replied in earnest. “I know you’d like to think that I want to hurt you, Malfoy, that I allowed my hatred for you to fuel me into turning an innocent child and forcing him to serve me…but the truth is that after so many centuries - I’d merely forgotten who you were. Even after learning Draco's surname, nothing rang any sort of bell. I had no conscious memory of you or your name. I hadn’t put two and two together - that you two might possibly be related until very recently…sorry.” 

The elder Malfoy scowled, having been humiliated in front of Gellert’s and Tom’s followers. He reached down, grabbing Tom up by the throat, and took his last fang between his fingers. “Compared to me, Riddle, you’re still a baby, wet behind the ears. You could never defeat me. I want you to know that after I slaughter you I’m going to keep your little plaything as my own. Gellert promised Harry to me if I made you suffer long and hard enough.” His fingers squeezed together as the beautiful blond delighted in watching Tom pale to a pasty-white before him. He yanked the tooth - but a hand snatched his away before he was able to pry it out of Tom’s mouth. 

“You think you’re ancient? You ain’t seen nothing yet.” Bellatrix emerged from the shadows as mist. With lightning speed, she wrenched the blond’s arm behind his back despite the vampire’s enhanced strength, snapping the bone and cartilage at the elbow. 

“Stay. Down,” he heard her say, and he obeyed, crumbling from pain, having never truly felt it before that very moment. Snape was at her side mere seconds later to assist her. 

Tom straightened up as he got to his feet, watching Albus and his brother trot across the clearing they were standing in, holding crucifixes out in front of them. Ron and Hermione helped the members of Tom's coven out of their bonds.

Sirius, Hagrid and Neville moved to release the werewolves, all three now back in control of their ferocity with the aid of their master. 

Harry pushed off of a stunned Grindelwald and fell into Tom’s arms. "Are you okay, love?" They embraced as close to each other as they could manage, and stayed that way while the others cleaned up the remaining threats around them. 

Tom kissed him. He felt the sharp jagged edges of what was once the boy’s wings and hugged him even tighter in his embrace. “I’m so sorry, love. So sorry I didn’t get here faster.” 

Harry tipped his head up and began wiping the caked blood off of Tom’s face. Tom cringed and looked away, knowing he had been maimed as well.

“Hey,” Harry said, righting his face back in place so he could look upon the one thing he dreamed about every night during his time in captivity. “I like it. It's sexy. Makes you look tough.” 

Tom laughed. “It does?” He swished his tongue across his front teeth and prodded at the gaping hole left after the attack. It would take time to get used to having only one fang, but that time would be spent with his lover, Harry, and the rest of his kindred. Life, or being undead, was about to become a whole lot different for all of them. 

Bellatrix and Snape detained the dumbstruck Grindelwald, who gaped up at her. “How is this possible? How were you able to defeat us so easily?” he asked the witch. 

Her eyes flicked up toward Cassius as he sauntered over to meet his master eye to eye.

“Why don’t you ask her yourself,” Snape said, as all of them watched the young traitor’s form begin to change, shifting back into her true guise; the last missing witch, Romilda Vane. 

“Surprise!” 

Gellert unconsciously allowed the Dumbledore brothers to subdue and bind him with silver-infused cord. His mind was too tangled to resist, still reeling from shock. He did not understand what had just happened. He stared blankly at the woman whom he thought was his own loyal servant. “You aren’t Cassius? Then where is he?” 

Tom stepped in to help the narrow-sighted man understand that true power lies not in physical strength and age, but in the persons’ ability to work together as a team, to trust each other , even if their leader leads them all into harm's way blindly. He learnt to use what talents they possessed to the coven's advantage. “After I interrogated your boy Warrington and drained him of information about you and your ilk, all while the witches blocked the direct link between you two, I drained him of his lifeblood and put him in stasis, so Romilda could take on his form and connect that same link between you and her with the use of his blood. I assure you he is quite safe. Unlike you, we do not harm our own kind unless we have to.” 

Riddle watched the two vampire hunters haul the golden-haired vampire up to his feet, and asked that they wait one more minute so he could say all that he needed to say to his maker before they put the man in irons. He would be imprisoned forever to keep the world safe once more. “Our circle was never broken despite Cassius’s betrayal. And your ignorant notion of the number thirteen you've rambled on about for centuries, that the number thirteen being more powerful than any other number..is wrong. We inducted the Dumbledore bothers and Harry’s two best friends that very night to utilise their talents as part of our own, and look what we manged to accomplish here.” 

No longer feeling the need to boast about his coven’s victory, the beautiful vampire gazed upon Draco as the blond-haired boy embraced and was embraced in return by Harry. Blood pooled into the corners of Tom’s eyes as he watched them forgive and be forgiven in such pure and innocent fashion, a token of what he had always sought after. They came together not blindly, but from the heart. “It’s never too later. We can always learn to forgive…to see what’s right in front of you for what they really are, and give that person another chance, because sometimes they deserve it.” 

Tom’s deep crimson eyes at last met with Albus’s. He gave the old man a tip of the head, alerting him that he was finished with Grindelwald and would allow the brothers to put that monster away for as long as they could hold him.

* * *

Hermione pulled her mass of frizzy hair up and wound it into a bun before securing it off and entering the once grand ballroom, now turned into a laboratory. The curtains lining the ceiling-high windows were drawn. She noted Tom and Albus hunched over an enormous book together as they pored over the pages.

On the opposite side of the room, Harry, Draco, Ron and Neville were all jotting notes down on pads of paper, all intently watching and listening to Bellatrix and Romilda as they instructed them on the basics of witchcraft. 

Blaise, Fenrir, Luna and Remus all worked together with Hagrid now. The half-giant had a way with them during the times of the month when the moon was full and their free will was sapped and replaced with raw rage. With time, they would learn to control their hunger with his help.

She moved quietly over to the experiment she had been working full-time on since graduation. There was no time to attend any university, and it was the furthest from her mind. Tom had insisted that she enrol in at least a few basic classes, and she would consider it, but not until she found a cure for the ailments that plagued certain brethren of hers. Aberforth, Severus and Sirius soon joined her in their partitioned corner of the massive room. It was littered with test tubes and various machines that detected the elements of whatever sample they were fed. 

Everyone inside that room sought out the same conclusion: there had to be a way to live a somewhat normal life as a vampire or werewolf without having to pay such an enormous price in order to endure it. Their ultimate goal was to learn to feed without killing anyone, and, for now, only feed off of the terminally ill - and only if the person agreed to it.

On the plus side, they had nearly worked out the means to create and a produce a synthetic serum that closely matched human blood. Soon, none of them would have to hunt and murder for survival, they could plant their roots and enjoy the pleasantries their world had to offer. 

Sirius tied his mane of thick black hair up into a ponytail and reluctantly pulled on his lab-coat. “Remember, we all agreed that research would only go until eight tonight. Got a hot date with some bird I met in London last week.” 

Hermione looked at him over her shoulder. Her eye twitched. “Bird?” Having the blight of enduring the group of people who all grew to adulthood in a different time than she had, she found it could be a bit grating on the nerves. She found herself educating a few of them about various things; like, slavery is bad, even if you treat them well, and how women are no longer to be treated like objects of desire if they don’t want that. And that everyone was to be treated equal, no matter with colour, race, sex, religion, sexual orientation and whether you walked among the living or with the undead. 

“Oh, here we go again…Lady?” 

Hermione shrugged. “Um, close. Come on, think.” 

Sirius rolled his eyes. “Fine, I’ll say it: woman.” 

Hermione grinned. “There you go.” Not all of them had any desire to modernise their ways of thinking, but she would always be there to remind them of how different times are now, far different than they were back then.

* * *

Several hours later on the other side of the room, Tom pushed back from the table and stood up. He smiled down at Harry and helped him stand, intent on spending the rest of the evening with him together. “I have a surprise for you.” 

Harry was intrigued. Tom had changed a great deal over the last year; after the ordeal with Grindelwald. He felt like a true leader now, and he treated everyone in their coven with respect and adoration. “Ooh, you know I love surprises.” 

Tom and he made their to the door. Tom scooped Harry up into his arms. “You’re going to really like this. I’ve already given Draco this gift. He’s over the moon about it.” 

If Draco liked it it had to be good. Harry touched Tom’s mind as his lover busied himself with flying undetected over the town of Little Hangelton. “Hey, quit it,” Tom sassed him as they landed on the stoop of Potter’s Cottage. "It's a surprise!"

Harry gaped at Tom in awe. This place was was once his. He had grown up here. His parents lived here. “What’s going on?” 

Tom rang the buzzer while he grinned at Harry like a silly child. “I’ve made a deal with a very fine couple I recently met. They've agreed silence over this matter in exchange for time spent with their lost and only beloved child. 

The door opened. Lily and James both grappled Harry in their arms and hugged him as hard as they could, never willing to let him go again. 

Tom began to back away. This was their moment, they would need time alone to get used to each other again, but Lily and James had different plan. 

“No, stay,” Lily said. Clasping her fingers around one of his wrists. “We should all get to know each other better, we have a lot to learn about you and Harry’s new life, and a lot of time to catch up on.” 

Harry smiled, tangling his fingers with Tom’s to drag him inside. With time, all wounds heal. Theirs would be no different. Indeed, life had changed for all of them, but, at last, the change was for the good.

 

The end

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh, this tale was the hardest thing I've ever written, despite the simplistic approach. I went way too far out of my comfort zone this time, I think I'm going to take an extended holiday from writing. I think I'll stick with comedy and the occasional smut fic when it compels me to write. Again, thank you all for the kind words and those lovely kudos is seek so greedily. I appreciate every single one of them because it lets me know you like my work, and really, that's what drives writers to write; knowing people enjoy your ideas and possibly want more...Big hugs to all!
> 
> Bonus photo of my foster son/son soon! dressed up for Halloween last night as Finn the Human. I don't know what's up with the sinister smile. Hope everyone had an awesome Halloween!
> 
> If I left any plotholes open I'm sorry, I'll try and fix anything broken, but seriously, I need a break.
> 
> And if you did not like this I'm sorry I couldn't appease your tastes, please don't comment to me how badly I suck anymore, it's really not needed. Thank you.

**Author's Note:**

> This was a challenge from Mangafan000...although I don't think she liked the outcome.


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